infinity*0

infinity*0

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Now With Added BA

Loughborough

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22 Oct 03

Originally posted by iamatiger
What about this!

0*I = lim(x -> 0) x * tan(x + pi()/2))
= -1
Or: lim(x->0+) sqrt(-x)*sqrt(1/x)
= i

g
Wayward Soul

Your Blackened Sky

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22 Oct 03
1 edit

Originally posted by Acolyte
Or: lim(x->0+) sqrt(-x)*sqrt(1/x)
= i
i suppose, when you put it that way...that you could prove that it is equal to a lot of things-i got 1...

as x->infinity, 1/x->0 and x/x=1 so 0*infinity=1...

but not 0 as 1/0 is infinty, so you have infinite sets of 0 to make a whole number...hey-that kinda proves that it's one too!...in fact...2/0=infinity....3/0 etc....wawzer!...

Joined
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22 Oct 03

Originally posted by genius
i suppose, when you put it that way...that you could prove that it is equal to a lot of things-i got 1...

as x->infinity, 1/x->0 and x/x=1 so 0*infinity=1...

but not 0 as 1/0 is infinty, so you have infinite sets of 0 to make a whole number...hey-that kinda proves that it's one too!...in fact...2/0=infinity....3/0 etc....wawzer!...
I think there are (infinitely!) many functions on x that evaluate to infinity * zero as x approaches some limit. A lot of these functions will have a definite value at that point, but different functions will give different values. So the value of infinity * zero depends on what function produced it and is undefined without that information.

F
Artist in Drawing

in your fridge

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23 Oct 03

0*infinity has never been defined, because there is no logical answer.
by definition of infinity: x*inf = inf for x >0
and easy to proof is 0*x = 0 for x a real (yes, even this has a proof)

this would give lim{n->0} n*inf =/= lim{k->inf} 0*k
so neither of those limits would be a good definition of 0*inf

Joined
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23 Oct 03

Originally posted by Fiathahel
0*infinity has never been defined, because there is no logical answer.
by definition of infinity: x*inf = inf for x >0
and easy to proof is 0*x = 0 for x a real (yes, even this has a proof)

this would give lim{n->0} n*inf =/= lim{k->inf} 0*k
so neither of those limits would be a good definition of 0*inf
Perhaps it should be defined to have a random value somewhere between + and - infinity!

F
Artist in Drawing

in your fridge

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24 Oct 03

Originally posted by iamatiger
Perhaps it should be defined to have a random value somewhere between + and - infinity!
With what distribution? 😉

f

my head

Joined
03 Oct 03
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671
17 Nov 03

Originally posted by iamatiger
What about this!

0*I = lim(x -> 0) x * tan(x + pi()/2))
= -1
i don't understand that, having not taken calc, but it seems to me that multiplication is similer to exponenta in that
5^3=5*5*5
5*3=5+5+5
multiplying anything by one makes no diference, and adding 0 makes no diference, thus it is also threw that
5^3=5*5*5*1*1*1*1......
5*3=5+5+5+0+0+0+0......
thus
N^0=1*1*1*1*1....=1
N*0=0+0+0+0+0.....=0
thus
I^0=1
I*0=0

T

Joined
10 Feb 03
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12969
20 Nov 03

infinity times zero is undefined.

However, the multiple of two functions, one evaluating to infinity, the other to zero can sometimes be resolved using their derivatives. (As an example of the form, consider L'Hopital's rule; where derivitives of functions are used to avoid a division by zero. But that is a seperate question too...)

r

Joined
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09 Dec 03

As far as I have learned, 0 times any extended real number equals 0.

-Ray.

g
The Sheriff of

Nottingham

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09 Dec 03

It can't be defined in any real terms, any calculation must use values tending towards infinity, and is therefore conceptually wrong, I agree that in principle it would appear that I*0=0 but that is an 'engineers view' as my math teacher always taught me. Meaning that it is good enough to function in reality, but doesn't follow pure mathematics. Hmmmm, I never really saw the insult in being able to relate to reality. It's cetainly something I'd like to do someday.😛

Barefoot Chessplayer

central usa

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09 Dec 03
1 edit

you might consider it this way.
we know that 1/0 is infinite, so we can "define" infinity as 1/0 (or any other positive finite number divided by zero).
now, 0 times that gives 0/0, which is undefined since it could be anything.
these are two "indefinite" forms (0*infinity and 0/0). a (the?) third is 1^infinity. i'm sure most of you have seen something like this: lim(x->0) (1+x)^(1/x), which is the transcendental number e. another way this can be written is to substitute y for 1/x and take the limit as y goes to +infinity.

my favorite equation, relating five universal constants, is based on the above: e^(2*pi*i) = 1.

r
CHAOS GHOST!!!

Elsewhere

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09 Dec 03

Originally posted by BarefootChessPlayer
you might consider it this way.
we know that 1/0 is infinite, so we can "define" infinity as 1/0 (or any other positive finite number divided by zero).
now, 0 times that gives 0/0, which is undefined since it could be anything.
these are two "indefinite" forms (0*infinity and 0/0). a (the?) third is 1^infinity. i'm sure most of you have s ...[text shortened]... ation, relating five universal constants, is based on the above: e^(2*pi*i) = 1.
The above is indeed a beautiful equation. A more motivated proof might result from using series representations of circular functions.

r

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10 Dec 03

Originally posted by BarefootChessPlayer
my favorite equation, relating five universal constants, is based on the above: e^(2*pi*i) = 1.
This is the common notation of the Euler Formula:

e^(i*pi) + 1 = 0

-Ray.

f

my head

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10 Dec 03

Originally posted by BarefootChessPlayer
you might consider it this way.
we know that 1/0 is infinite, so we can "define" infinity as 1/0 (or any other positive finite number divided by zero).
now, 0 times that gives 0/0, which is undefined since it could be anything.
these are two "indefinite" forms (0*infinity and 0/0). a (the?) third is 1^infinity. i'm sure most of you have s ...[text shortened]... ation, relating five universal constants, is based on the above: e^(2*pi*i) = 1.
0/0 is undifined, and it can be argued that so is 0*infinity, but 1^infinity is definetly 1. the higher the exponent, the sharper the curve. thus the curve for infinity is infinetly sharpe.
0^i=0
1^i=(0^i)i=0*i=1 as i proved earlyer, but you seem to not agree.
2^i=((0^i)i)i=1*i=infinity

Barefoot Chessplayer

central usa

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11 Dec 03
1 edit

Originally posted by fearlessleader
0/0 is undifined, and it can be argued that so is 0*infinity, but 1^infinity is definetly 1. the higher the exponent, the sharper the curve. thus the curve for infinity is infinetly sharpe.
0^i=0
1^i=(0^i)i=0*i=1 as i proved earlyer, but you seem to not agree.
2^i=((0^i)i)i=1*i=infinity
well, consider it this way. take the original formula i gave, and substitute: (1 + 2/x)^x or the other way, (1 + 2*y)^(1/y) (i may have these reversed; i can't see what i put in before from this page).
you won't get 1 as the limit is evaluated! (if i've done it right, it will be exp(2).)
so, since this is a form of 1^inf, that must be an indefinite form.
l'hopital's rule with logarithmic differentiation is a good way to find this. going back to the original formula, ln (1+ x)^(1/x) = (ln (1 + x))/x. for x=0, this is 0/0, an indeterminate form, so the result at this point would be exp(0/0). differentiation of the logarithm gives (x/(1 + x) - ln (1 + x))/x^2. it's been too long since i did one of these to find the limit, but i know it will come out to e if it's done right.
so, 1^inf cannot have a single value.