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  3. Is mathematical possibility of 0 equal to impossible??

Is mathematical possibility of 0 equal to impossible??

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  • E Offline
    E Offline
    ensger
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    I've got an intersting question - see above. If you think, you have the answer, answer this. I am part of a lottery with infinite numbers. So the possibility is 1 / infinity = 0. But is it imposiblo to have the right nuber??? So, what means possibility of 0??

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    • E ensger

      I've got an intersting question - see above. If you think, you have the answer, answer this. I am part of a lottery with infinite numbers. So the possibility is 1 / infinity = 0. But is it imposiblo to have the right nuber??? So, what means possibility of 0??

      N Offline
      N Offline
      Nish Nishant
      wrote on last edited by
      #2

      ensger wrote:

      I am part of a lottery with infinite numbers.

      Surely they will have a maximum serial length (say 200 digits).

      Regards, Nish


      Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
      Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. Also visit the Ultimate Toolbox blog (New)

      E 1 Reply Last reply
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      • E ensger

        I've got an intersting question - see above. If you think, you have the answer, answer this. I am part of a lottery with infinite numbers. So the possibility is 1 / infinity = 0. But is it imposiblo to have the right nuber??? So, what means possibility of 0??

        R Offline
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        Red Stateler
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        1 / infinity != 0 It's: the limit of n as n approaches infinity 1/n = 0. In other words, zero is never reached but effectively becomes zero.


        "I make up quotes." -Vincent Reynolds

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        • N Nish Nishant

          ensger wrote:

          I am part of a lottery with infinite numbers.

          Surely they will have a maximum serial length (say 200 digits).

          Regards, Nish


          Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
          Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. Also visit the Ultimate Toolbox blog (New)

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          ensger
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          Say it can end, but it must not. Of course with 200 digits it's easy to compute:)

          1 Reply Last reply
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          • R Red Stateler

            1 / infinity != 0 It's: the limit of n as n approaches infinity 1/n = 0. In other words, zero is never reached but effectively becomes zero.


            "I make up quotes." -Vincent Reynolds

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            Chris Maunder
            wrote on last edited by
            #5

            Nicely put

            cheers, Chris Maunder

            CodeProject.com : C++ MVP

            1 Reply Last reply
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            • R Red Stateler

              1 / infinity != 0 It's: the limit of n as n approaches infinity 1/n = 0. In other words, zero is never reached but effectively becomes zero.


              "I make up quotes." -Vincent Reynolds

              E Offline
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              ensger
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              The posibility is 0 - of couse. But is it impoosible?? If you choose the digits from right to left an I say 126 - is this imposimple, that there are always 0's so on?

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              • E ensger

                The posibility is 0 - of couse. But is it impoosible?? If you choose the digits from right to left an I say 126 - is this imposimple, that there are always 0's so on?

                R Offline
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                Red Stateler
                wrote on last edited by
                #7

                The possibility isn't zero. It's infinitesimal.


                "I make up quotes." -Vincent Reynolds

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                • R Red Stateler

                  The possibility isn't zero. It's infinitesimal.


                  "I make up quotes." -Vincent Reynolds

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                  ensger
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #8

                  9 with a period of 9 == 10. That's no question. The difernce to 10is 0 period of 0. So n / infinity = 0. The differnce is 0.00000 nd so on.

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                  • E ensger

                    9 with a period of 9 == 10. That's no question. The difernce to 10is 0 period of 0. So n / infinity = 0. The differnce is 0.00000 nd so on.

                    D Offline
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                    Dave Kreskowiak
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #9

                    I think what you're trying to say is that as n approaches Infinity, 1/n approaches 0. The answer can never be 0, but can be infinitely small.

                    Dave Kreskowiak Microsoft MVP - Visual Basic

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                    • E ensger

                      9 with a period of 9 == 10. That's no question. The difernce to 10is 0 period of 0. So n / infinity = 0. The differnce is 0.00000 nd so on.

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                      Red Stateler
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #10

                      Infinity is a concept and not a number, so simple math doesn't apply as above. Limits are the basis of calculus, so I suggest reading up on that to understand the concept better.


                      "I make up quotes." -Vincent Reynolds

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                      • D Dave Kreskowiak

                        I think what you're trying to say is that as n approaches Infinity, 1/n approaches 0. The answer can never be 0, but can be infinitely small.

                        Dave Kreskowiak Microsoft MVP - Visual Basic

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                        ensger
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #11

                        That is rifht. but the mathematics of posibility says, it is 0. That's the question.

                        R Z D 3 Replies Last reply
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                        • E ensger

                          I've got an intersting question - see above. If you think, you have the answer, answer this. I am part of a lottery with infinite numbers. So the possibility is 1 / infinity = 0. But is it imposiblo to have the right nuber??? So, what means possibility of 0??

                          V Offline
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                          Vikram A Punathambekar
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #12

                          But your analogy looks flawed to me. For instance, how would you select the 'winning number' when the tickets are infinite? A more accurate analogy would be something like this: You have 3 white socks and 4 black socks in a closet. What is the probability that a sock drawn at random is blue? The answer is 0, which means the event cannot occur (i.e., impossible). PS: I hate to say this, but I agree with espeir. ;P 1 / ∞ is infinitesimal, not 0.

                          Cheers, Vikram.


                          "whoever I am, I'm not other people" - Corinna John.

                          E R J 5 Replies Last reply
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                          • V Vikram A Punathambekar

                            But your analogy looks flawed to me. For instance, how would you select the 'winning number' when the tickets are infinite? A more accurate analogy would be something like this: You have 3 white socks and 4 black socks in a closet. What is the probability that a sock drawn at random is blue? The answer is 0, which means the event cannot occur (i.e., impossible). PS: I hate to say this, but I agree with espeir. ;P 1 / ∞ is infinitesimal, not 0.

                            Cheers, Vikram.


                            "whoever I am, I'm not other people" - Corinna John.

                            E Offline
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                            ensger
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #13

                            It is 0!! But 0 is not impossible. (Exception, your example;))

                            1 Reply Last reply
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                            • V Vikram A Punathambekar

                              But your analogy looks flawed to me. For instance, how would you select the 'winning number' when the tickets are infinite? A more accurate analogy would be something like this: You have 3 white socks and 4 black socks in a closet. What is the probability that a sock drawn at random is blue? The answer is 0, which means the event cannot occur (i.e., impossible). PS: I hate to say this, but I agree with espeir. ;P 1 / ∞ is infinitesimal, not 0.

                              Cheers, Vikram.


                              "whoever I am, I'm not other people" - Corinna John.

                              R Offline
                              R Offline
                              Red Stateler
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #14

                              Vikram A Punathambekar wrote:

                              You have 3 white socks and 4 black socks in a closet. What is the probability that a sock drawn at random is blue? The answer is 0, which means the event cannot occur (i.e., impossible).

                              What if you're in a room with blue lighting? Then your odds would be 42.8%! ;P


                              "I make up quotes." -Vincent Reynolds

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                              • E ensger

                                That is rifht. but the mathematics of posibility says, it is 0. That's the question.

                                R Offline
                                R Offline
                                Red Stateler
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #15

                                No, probability says the odds are infinitesimal.


                                "I make up quotes." -Vincent Reynolds

                                1 Reply Last reply
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                                • V Vikram A Punathambekar

                                  But your analogy looks flawed to me. For instance, how would you select the 'winning number' when the tickets are infinite? A more accurate analogy would be something like this: You have 3 white socks and 4 black socks in a closet. What is the probability that a sock drawn at random is blue? The answer is 0, which means the event cannot occur (i.e., impossible). PS: I hate to say this, but I agree with espeir. ;P 1 / ∞ is infinitesimal, not 0.

                                  Cheers, Vikram.


                                  "whoever I am, I'm not other people" - Corinna John.

                                  E Offline
                                  E Offline
                                  ensger
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #16

                                  That's al true - I understand. but we ave some methematics - here we call it 'Wahrscheinlichkeitsrechnung' (possibility-calculation), that works with somthing like this. And the results are good!!

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • V Vikram A Punathambekar

                                    But your analogy looks flawed to me. For instance, how would you select the 'winning number' when the tickets are infinite? A more accurate analogy would be something like this: You have 3 white socks and 4 black socks in a closet. What is the probability that a sock drawn at random is blue? The answer is 0, which means the event cannot occur (i.e., impossible). PS: I hate to say this, but I agree with espeir. ;P 1 / ∞ is infinitesimal, not 0.

                                    Cheers, Vikram.


                                    "whoever I am, I'm not other people" - Corinna John.

                                    E Offline
                                    E Offline
                                    ensger
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #17

                                    That's all true - I understand. but we have some methematics - here we call it 'Wahrscheinlichkeitsrechnung' (possibility-calculation), that works with somthing like this. And the results are good!!

                                    V 1 Reply Last reply
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                                    • E ensger

                                      I've got an intersting question - see above. If you think, you have the answer, answer this. I am part of a lottery with infinite numbers. So the possibility is 1 / infinity = 0. But is it imposiblo to have the right nuber??? So, what means possibility of 0??

                                      B Offline
                                      B Offline
                                      Bassam Abdul Baki
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #18

                                      Math forum please.


                                      "In this house, we obey the laws of thermodynamics!" - Homer Simpson Web - Blog - RSS - Math - LinkedIn

                                      J 1 Reply Last reply
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                                      • V Vikram A Punathambekar

                                        But your analogy looks flawed to me. For instance, how would you select the 'winning number' when the tickets are infinite? A more accurate analogy would be something like this: You have 3 white socks and 4 black socks in a closet. What is the probability that a sock drawn at random is blue? The answer is 0, which means the event cannot occur (i.e., impossible). PS: I hate to say this, but I agree with espeir. ;P 1 / ∞ is infinitesimal, not 0.

                                        Cheers, Vikram.


                                        "whoever I am, I'm not other people" - Corinna John.

                                        J Offline
                                        J Offline
                                        Jorgen Sigvardsson
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #19

                                        Vikram A Punathambekar wrote:

                                        1 / ∞ is infinitesimal, not 0.

                                        It's neither. It's undetermined, because infinity cannot be determined. That's sort of the whole point with infinity. You can however examine what happens when certain parameters grow towards infinity. (which has already been stated)

                                        -- Simulcast on Crazy People's Fillings

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                                        • B Bassam Abdul Baki

                                          Math forum please.


                                          "In this house, we obey the laws of thermodynamics!" - Homer Simpson Web - Blog - RSS - Math - LinkedIn

                                          J Offline
                                          J Offline
                                          Jorgen Sigvardsson
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #20

                                          :-D

                                          -- Simulcast on Crazy People's Fillings

                                          B 1 Reply Last reply
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