Re: [Mid] A lesson in Algorism

> OK, Midair, yer Grace and whoever else wants in on this, please
> explain [off-list, unless this is also a period "game"] how multiplying
> an
> infinite number [in this case, .9... ] by 10 makes it finite, rather
> than 10
> times what it was before.

Duke Andrew answered:
> The zero at the end of the series, however long curtails the series
>of repeating digits. That's what the perfesser tole us'ns years ago. Remember
>it clearly...same problem, during a series of similar problems.
But there is no zero at the end of the series. It is:

0.99999999999999999999999999999999999 (with the 9's repeating
forever). By definition, there is no zero at the end, even when
multipying by 10.

Again 1/3 times 10 is 10/3 which equals 3 1/3, and 1/3 doesn't end in
a zero.

- Midair
From: "Charles J. Cohen" <charles@eecs.umich.edu>
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Received on Sat Jun 12 08:47:04 1999