Does 0.99999 = 1?
"No - of course they're not the same," is most everyone's initial thought. Those two numbers are close... but not equal.
But, try this proof:
Q: Does 0.33333 = 1/3?
A: Yes!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOc5sfBKdnvZRX9qp4u884YTMjOe7vwlplGf25Ffj7g1BWpmpjNHiZHxEAsZO_JW_JhnVdadawWufIQtoK6eZxceXm_TrGCpzcVJh6thjO0dtGWi1QdMJk5mALPHUh-_rttwJyjQKwJzcz/s320/Screen+Shot+2012-06-22+at+12.41.01++Fri,+22+Jun.png)
Ok, next question...
Q: Does 0.66666 = 2/3?
A: Yes, again!
So, now for the punchline:
Q: Does 1/3 + 2/3 = 1?
A: Well, yes. But...
The beauty of mathematics is even though it's an abstract field, it's a pure discipline unlike, say, computer science. The laws of mathematics are constant throughout the entire universe.
So, does does 0.99999 = 1? Unfortunately, there's no simple answer.
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