>Subject: Re: Is zero an approximation? >From: stpnrrs@aol.com (Stephen Norris) >Date: 01/12/01 01:14 GMT Standard Time Message-id: <20011130201438.08968.00000117@mb-cr.aol.com>
>> Paul Lutus wrote: >> > "Mike Oliver" <oliver@math.ucla.edu> wrote in message >> > news://3C06C01D.15E3D8C1@math.ucla.edu... >> > > Paul Lutus wrote: >> >>> What? Infinity is not a number. Therefore 1/Infinity is also not a >number. >> >> >> >> Eh? How does that follow? >> >> If Infinity is something other than a number, then if you want to divide >1 by >> >> it, you'll have to extend the division operation to whatever kind of >object >> >> Infinity is. How do you know, a priori, etc..
I've read some more of this bizarre thread and I can scarcely believe the number of contributors to sci.math who have some problem with concepts such as 0, infinity and the fact that (1/infinity = 0 EXACTLY).
What if someone tried to explain to them that in what mathematicians call 'arithmetic' the 'number' 0/0 is defined as 'undefined'?
I shall not contribute further to this thread - the contributors to it are all mad.
