Infinity * Zero = Any Number ARGUE HERE

[Redorigami]

As was said before, infinity is not meant to be used in math. If you think of infinity as a number, it is every number. Yet at the same time, it is defined as no number at all. Therefore there are infinitely many answers to any function infinity is used in. Now let us consider infinity as a general term as it was meant to be. It means and endless stream of numbers. Infinity itself is everything and nothing. It is a term as is the expansion of the universe. There is no exact definition other than a term used to describe something that has no real meaning. Now let's use the mathematical definition I used above in a simple equation. 1*infinity. Considered from the definition above, infinity is substituted as every known number, herefore the answer is an endless stream of numbers. But by any physical means, we cannot reach an endless number stream as anything we do has an end. So we could say the answer is infinity, since we could never reach a definite answer, but that would be incorrect as infinity itself is a definite answer. And that is my standing point on the definition of infinity times ANYTHING.

Ps I was probably incorrect somewhere, I've honestly only taken math up to Geometry level.

[ValoTV]

Originally Posted by Doug31

P.S. ValoTV, you need to learn some more about math.

I am only in eleventh grade, and I'm not taking math until next semester, so I have only math 10 to go on here. But I still don't see how infinity-infinity is not 0, well actually, I really don't see how any undefined positive minus itself is not 0.

[Tokzic]

I'm surprised AP's math senses haven't tingled him to this thread yet.

If you think of infinity as a number, it is every number.

...how, exactly?

I can agree that it is no number. It's an abstract concept.

But it can't be every number. If it was every number, for one, positive and negative infinity wouldn't exist.

[Kilgamayan]

Originally Posted by Tokzic

I'm surprised AP's math senses haven't tingled him to this thread yet.

I highly doubt ap cares about this website, but I can try to summon him if you like.

[Shashakiro]

Originally Posted by Tokzic

intuition gets thrown out the window when it comes to infinity.

Exactly.

And yeah, stones = sticks in that case.

[Tokzic]

Yeah.

If you follow the "laws".

You cannot say there will be an equal amount of sticks to stones just because they stretch on forever.

[Shashakiro]

Originally Posted by Tokzic

You cannot say there will be an equal amount of sticks to stones just because they stretch on forever.

yup, I can

and I'd be right too

There are degrees of infinity where one is greater than the other, actually. For example, there are more real numbers than integers, even though both sets are infinite.

But there are not more integers than odd numbers, or in this case, multiples of 3.

[Tokzic]

Originally Posted by Shashakiro

But there are not more integers than odd numbers, or in this case, multiples of 3.

At any given point on a stick and stone (or number line if you aren't sticking with the example), there will be more stones than sticks.

Let's say you put them in a circle and then claimed that it was infinity. You could go around and around and around all you like, but there's still going to be more stones than sticks. "well you can keep looping" isn't an argument, and does not support that they are equal.

Also, if you are treating them like values, then inf-inf = 0 rofl hypocrisy

[spyke252]

Originally Posted by Squeek

Ok, so it goes on forever. That only means that the ratio of sticks to pebble increases as it goes on forever.

I first want to point out that the ratio is always the same.

Next, I'd like to show one reason for infinity. Power series. Way back before you were born, calculators weren't invented yet. Someone had to program those calculators to approximate sine, cosine, e, pi, etc.

Power series approximate functions for a certain piece of a function. For example, we can approximate sine by (1/n!)·ƒ(n)(x0)(x - x0)^n. since n can be any number from zero to infinity, we can always achieve greater precision by making n larger. If infinity didn't exist (somehow) and say, this only worked until n=10, we wouldn't (Of course) be able to get any more precise after n=10.

Now, as technology keeps becoming more precise, more options are opening up. We can explore space, oceans, and other dangerous places.

These places are, well, dangerous. If you think about it, a loss of precision of .1 is not as small as it seems... It can cause a ship to not be able to have enough force to lift off, for just one example.

[Doug31]

Originally Posted by ValoTV

I am only in eleventh grade, and I'm not taking math until next semester, so I have only math 10 to go on here. But I still don't see how infinity-infinity is not 0, well actually, I really don't see how any undefined positive minus itself is not 0.

Infinity - infinity is not 0. It can be, but only if both infinities are the same, but one infinity can be very much greater than another infinity.

[Shashakiro]

Tokzic: the reason the sets are equal is that for every stick can be matched to a stone.

It may be farther down the line, but that's irrelevant, because EVERY stone, no matter how far down, has a stick that can be matched with it. So the two have to be equal.

Intuition != logic =)

[Tokzic]

And Shash, that's garbage. Just because it's infinite doesn't mean you can ignore the ratio. >=/

It's like saying TWO EQUALS NINE

YOU CAN OVERLAP THE TWO OVER THE NINE FOUR AND A HALF TIMES

[tsugomaru]

WRAPPING!

~Tsugomaru

[A2_Sauce]

Originally Posted by Squeek

1.4c is not equal to 1.2c. Look, how can a 2 equal a 4?

HAHAHA, wow

[Squeek]

Oh hey, sorry for not knowing yet another pointless astronomical unit of measure.

I like how you laugh but still don't care to explain it.

Don't bother though. I've trained myself to ignore mathematicians and pretend they don't exist. It seems their sole purpose is to piss off logical thinkers.

[talisman]

math is entirely logical... I really don't see why you can't accept the logic behind infinity. It's not a difficult concept.

[A2_Sauce]

Originally Posted by Squeek

I've trained myself to ignore mathematicians and pretend they don't exist.

HAHAHAHA, you're in luck, i'm no mathematician

[GuidoHunter]

An engineer, a physicist and a mathematician are competing to design a fence that will fence in the largest area with the smallest amount of fencing. The engineer builds in a circle and says that it is the most efficient design. The physicist builds a very long, straight fence and says "Assume it goes to infinity and half the earth is fenced in." The mathematician says, "You guys are both idiots." He then builds a fence around himself and says, "I'm on the outside."

--Guido

http://andy.mikee385.com

[JKPolk]

Originally Posted by Squeek

Oh hey, sorry for not knowing yet another pointless astronomical unit of measure.

I like how you laugh but still don't care to explain it.

Don't bother though. I've trained myself to ignore mathematicians and pretend they don't exist. It seems their sole purpose is to piss off logical thinkers.

I... tried to explain it...

[Shashakiro]

Originally Posted by Tokzic

Circle picture

What does a circle have to do with this in any way?

Originally Posted by Tokzic

And Shash, that's garbage. Just because it's infinite doesn't mean you can ignore the ratio. >=/

Yup, it does. Because of the fact that for every stone, you can find a matching stick, and vice versa, the two have to be equal. It's that simple.

It amazes me when people think that their own intuition is somehow right and all of established mathematics is wrong.