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Questions tagged [real-numbers]

For questions about $\mathbb{R}$, the field of real numbers. Often used in conjunction with the real-analysis tag.

362 votes
31 answers
62k views

Is it true that $0.999999999\ldots=1$?

I'm told by smart people that $$0.999999999\ldots=1$$ and I believe them, but is there a proof that explains why this is?
76 votes
7 answers
33k views

Is an automorphism of the field of real numbers the identity map?

Is an automorphism of the field of real numbers $\mathbb{R}$ the identity map? If yes, how can we prove it? Remark An automorphism of $\mathbb{R}$ may not be continuous.
Makoto Kato's user avatar
  • 42.9k
178 votes
7 answers
34k views

Induction on Real Numbers

One of my Fellows asked me whether total induction is applicable to real numbers, too ( or at least all real numbers ≥ 0) . We only used that for natural numbers so far. Of course you have to change ...
Baju's user avatar
  • 1,883
82 votes
5 answers
20k views

Completion of rational numbers via Cauchy sequences

Can anyone recommend a good self-contained reference for completion of rationals to get reals using Cauchy sequences?
Derek Scavo's user avatar
  • 2,003
42 votes
8 answers
7k views

Does $1.0000000000\cdots 1$ with an infinite number of $0$ in it exist?

Does $1.0000000000\cdots 1$ (with an infinite number of $0$ in it) exist?
iMath's user avatar
  • 2,267
47 votes
11 answers
10k views

Why are integers subset of reals?

In most programming languages, integer and real (or float, rational, whatever) types are usually disjoint; 2 is not the same as 2.0 (although most languages do an automatic conversion when necessary). ...
Aivar's user avatar
  • 597
13 votes
10 answers
1k views

Proving that: $\lim\limits_{n\to\infty} \left(\frac{a^{\frac{1}{n}}+b^{\frac{1}{n}}}{2}\right)^n =\sqrt{ab}$

Let $a$ and $b$ be positive reals. Show that $$\lim\limits_{n\to\infty} \left(\frac{a^{\frac{1}{n}}+b^{\frac{1}{n}}}{2}\right)^n =\sqrt{ab}$$
hkju's user avatar
  • 1,041
51 votes
10 answers
8k views

Is "$a + 0i$" in every way equal to just "$a$"?

I'm having a little argument with my friend. He says that "$a + 0i$" is, in every way, absolutely equal to "$a$" (e.g.: $2 + 0i = 2$). I say this is practically the case, so in every calculation you ...
nobian's user avatar
  • 519
49 votes
7 answers
8k views

Is the real number structure unique?

For a frame of reference, I'm an undergraduate in mathematics who has taken the introductory analysis series and the graduate level algebra sequence at my university. In my analysis class, our book ...
Tyler's user avatar
  • 2,233
56 votes
13 answers
8k views

Do we really need reals?

It seems to me that the set of all numbers really used by mathematics and physics is countable, because they are defined by means of a finite set of symbols and, eventually, by computable functions. ...
Emilio Novati's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
2k views

Definable real numbers

Reading this Wikipedia page I found this definition: A real number $a$ is first-order definable in the language of set theory, without parameters, if there is a formula $\phi$ in the language ...
Emilio Novati's user avatar
154 votes
14 answers
21k views

Why does an argument similiar to 0.999...=1 show 999...=-1?

I accept that two numbers can have the same supremum depending on how you generate a decimal representation. So $2.4999\ldots = 2.5$ etc. Can anyone point me to resources that would explain what the ...
CommonToad's user avatar
  • 1,605
73 votes
9 answers
66k views

Can a complex number ever be considered 'bigger' or 'smaller' than a real number, or vice versa?

I've always had this doubt. It's perfectly reasonable to say that, for example, 9 is bigger than 2. But does it ever make sense to compare a real number and a complex/imaginary one? For example, ...
Juanma Eloy's user avatar
  • 1,425
45 votes
8 answers
11k views

Why does the Dedekind Cut work well enough to define the Reals?

I am a seventeen year old high school student and I was studying some Real Analysis on my own. In the process, I encountered the Dedekind Cut being used to construct the Reals. I just can't get the ...
user avatar
6 votes
5 answers
5k views

What is a natural number? [duplicate]

According to page 25 of the book A First Course in Real Analysis, an inductive set is a set of real numbers such that $0$ is in the set and for every real number $x$ in the set, $x + 1$ is also in the ...
Timothy's user avatar
  • 803

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