Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 15:56, 8 May 2005

In mathematics, one could easily fall in the trap of thinking that while 0.999... is certainly close to 1, nevertheless the two are not equal. Here's a proof that they actually are.

Proof

${\displaystyle 0.999\ldots }$	${\displaystyle ={\frac {9}{10}}+{\frac {9}{100}}+{\frac {9}{1000}}+\cdots }$
	${\displaystyle =-9+{\frac {9}{1}}+{\frac {9}{10}}+{\frac {9}{100}}+{\frac {9}{1000}}+\cdots }$
	${\displaystyle =-9+9\times \sum _{k=0}^{\infty }\left({\frac {1}{10}}\right)^{k}}$
	${\displaystyle =-9+9\times {\frac {1}{1-{\frac {1}{10}}}}}$
	${\displaystyle =1.\,}$

Explanation

The key step to understand here is that the following infinite geometric series is convergent:

${\displaystyle \sum _{k=0}^{\infty }\left({\frac {1}{10}}\right)^{k}={\frac {1}{1-{\frac {1}{10}}}}.}$

Some alternative ways of explaining this truth

Let x equal 0.999... Therefore 10x-x equals 9.999... - 0.999... which equals 9x = 9 and so x equals 1.

Another: What is 1-0.99999... ? You get 0.000000... which is the same as zero.

Try this: Divide one by three (one third) and you get .333333(an unending series of threes). Three one-thirds is one so three times .3333(an unending series of threes) is .99999999999(an unending series of nines).

Finally: If you don't have a problem with 1.00000(an unending series of zeros), why should there be a problem with 0.9999(an unending series of nines) ?

If you think there is a difference, in what way is that difference different from nil, nada, nothing, zilch, zero?

See also

• Alternate proofs that 0.999... equals 1
• Geometric series
• Convergent series
• Infinite series
• Limits

External proofs

• Repeating Nines
• Why does 0.9999... = 1 ?

Template:Mathstub

• Proofs