Infinite Resistance

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rattus

Senior Member
Re: Infinite Resistance

Charlie, don't you mean that

lim sin(x)/x approaches one as x approaches 0?

"42" has nothing to do with the argument.

Doesn't x have to be in radians for the limit to go to unity?
 

physis

Senior Member
Re: Infinite Resistance

I can see that most of my trouble is with the calculus types. :D Ok,

I've got one source claiming that devide by zero is undefined. (Just so you don't think we're all running around dividing everything we can find by zero). But in some contexts it can be considered as defined. The following is one of those contexts. I don't know how valid the assertion is but I'm sure some of you guys and Charlie B. will have your BS scanners running. And if I don't describe it correctly it's because I can't find much clear info on the web and I'm a little fuzzy on some of it.

z/0 for zЄC*≠0 in the "extended complex plane" (C*) is defined as the quantity "complex infinity". This definition expresses the fact that for z≠0, lim(ω→0)z/ω=∞. Infinity in this case is complex infinity.

From this it's asserted that 1/0=∞ is a formal statement permitted in complex infinity.

These are my best guesses at the variables. They're not defined and my deductions may be wrong.

C* = complex infinity. It is the complex plane (I'll describe) with a "point at infinity" attached. (I'm still not getting that).
Є = infitesimal quantity or point ( I can't tell which) contained in the extended complex plane.
ω = I think this is just a variable.
z = I think this is just a variable or it may be the Gaussian intigers. Z = {a + bi :a,bЄZ} the ring of intigers of K = Q(i)). (The "z" used wasn't the symbol for that though).

The "complex plane" is defined by the real vector axis 1 and the imaginary vector axis i, the value of i is √-1. The complex numbers contained on the complex plane are the coordinants of the real axis and the imaginary axis. The complex plane together with the point at infinity (that I still don't get ( I know what a point at infinity is, I dont know how it interfaces with the plane)) is denoted by C U {∞} and is the "extended complex plane" or "complex infinity" or C*. This is also known as the Riemann sphere.

Is there a concensus on 1/∞=0?

See, you guy's aren't the only people I don't listen to. I don't listen to that guest poster either. She's a calculus type too. Wasn't very happy with my messin with zeros and infinities.

Steve, never mind about quantum mechanics. I think that's what you use to cure the most stubern cases of mathenjoymentitis. :D Somehow it lacks elegance.
 

physis

Senior Member
Re: Infinite Resistance

the "bubble bursts" at a mathematical discontinuity. The interesting thing that happens there is that it suddenly becomes undefined. Nothing more and nothing less (in this case, at least). But it is a "language failure" of sorts...you are refusing (or unwilling?) to accept elements of the mathematical language, and/or the thinking that accompanies it. As for the part about the fundamental structure of nature...the math describes it perfectly & completely (again, in this case at least).
0→∞ is a single entity. It contains all of the positive elements in the universe. You're free to yank the zero off of it and play with it seperately if you like. But what you do with the zero seperately isn't necessarily related to the
original entity. The numbers it contains, by themselves, have no useful meaning. They only have meaning relative to other numbers. Thinking of zero and infinity or any other value as discrete entities necessarily removes at least
some of their meaning. The way I think of it, zero and infinity are as much a connected duality as electricity and magnetism.

The problem with division by zero is that it's terribbly disruptive. It's not allowed as a matter of convention because it introduces chaos. From a practicle stand point it makes perfect sense to disallow it. As long as you do
we can go about our math business immune to it's destrucive effects. The choise to not divide by zero is not one made by math, it's made the users of math. Math doesn't care that it has an integral anomaly, you do. Using convention is important if you want order. But it doesn't redifine the phenomenon. You're so used to the way you use it that you've replaced it with what you use.

There are two things the divide by zero math tricks have in common. Dividing by zero is one. The other is dividing zero. If there's something that can't be done it's divide zero. But that's allowed because it's not destructive to the equation, unless zero is the divisor.

Phweew :)
 

rattus

Senior Member
Re: Infinite Resistance

Judging from the response to this post, it strikes me as Much Ado About Nothing as some old Brit said ages ago.
 

George Stolz

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Windsor, CO NEC: 2017
Occupation
Service Manager
Re: Infinite Resistance

Originally posted by steve66:
I agree :D 42 is the answer to life, the universe, and everything. Now if someone could only figure out what the question is?? :p
Hmm.
Tricky...
Man, I don't understand math guys...
 

charlie

Senior Member
Location
Indianapolis
Re: Infinite Resistance

I don't know which is worse, the guys that really understand this stuff or those of us that have kept up with the thread but don't understand what they are saying (I am in the latter group). :D
 

physis

Senior Member
Re: Infinite Resistance

Reading it's bad enough. I had to go and find this stuff and try to learn it. I'm gettin clobbered out there. ;)
 

rob123

Member
Re: Infinite Resistance

0?? is a single entity. It contains all of the positive elements in the universe. You're free to yank the zero off of it and play with it seperately if you like. But what you do with the zero seperately isn't necessarily related to the
original entity...etc.
woo rote that won Physis? Tel them they have terible speling and I therfor wont axcept a werd they sed.

:p
 

ronaldrc

Senior Member
Location
Tennessee
Re: Infinite Resistance

I agree much to do about nothing no pun intended.

Now I remember why I was turned off by math in this trade 40 years ago :roll: .
 

physis

Senior Member
Re: Infinite Resistance

If two old guys are playing a game of checkers in the park, no one has an uncontainable urge to run over to them and yell "I can't take it anymore, you two guys are boring me to death".

Rob, I talked to the guy about the spelling and he said you should be more concerned with the post before that one. :p

Edit: 80 posts and all of a sudden nobody cares. It's because I've come up with the goods. :cool:

[ December 12, 2004, 01:45 PM: Message edited by: physis ]
 

ronaldrc

Senior Member
Location
Tennessee
Re: Infinite Resistance

Physis

If it where not for threads like this one where a lot of it is in fun I wouldn't even visit this site. :D

But an old timer like myself that didn't take a lot of interest in math doesn't know half the time if the answers are serious or BS.
;)
 

physis

Senior Member
Re: Infinite Resistance

Ronaldrc, if it's not fuzzy it's not fun. What would be the point in debating 2 X 5.

What's interesting to me is that this thread has a lot of the same attributes as a polital arguement.

Edit: corrected a miss spelling for Rob :eek:

[ December 12, 2004, 03:07 PM: Message edited by: physis ]
 

charlie b

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Staff member
Location
Lockport, IL
Occupation
Retired Electrical Engineer
Re: Infinite Resistance

Originally posted by rattus: Charlie, don't you mean that lim sin(x)/x approaches one as x approaches 0?
You statement is also true. So was mine: 42sin(x)/x approaches 42, as x approaches 0
Doesn't x have to be in radians for the limit to go to unity?
Yes. I never said it didn?t.
 

charlie b

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Lockport, IL
Occupation
Retired Electrical Engineer
Re: Infinite Resistance

Originally posted by physis: z/0 for zЄC*≠0
The English translation of that phrase is that ?z/0 , where ?z? is an element of the complex plane, but z does not have the value of zero. . . .? That funny looking ?E? means ?is an element of the set.? I suspect that you have taken a definition out of context. I don?t think there is a math book that formally defines division by zero.
This definition expresses the fact that for z≠0, lim(ω→0)z/ω=∞.
This may be where you are taking the information out of context. This is a legitimate mathematical statement. The concept of infinity can be defined in terms of limits. But to state that something increases without bound is not the same thing as saying that infinity itself is a number, nor that you could reach that number by dividing 1 by 0.
Is there a consensus on 1/∞=0?
Nope. Not giving you that one.
80 posts and all of a sudden nobody cares. It's because I've come up with the goods.
Not!
 

rattus

Senior Member
Re: Infinite Resistance

My calculator says 1/0 = 9999999999. That is close enough to infinity for me! Wonder what 2/0 would be?
 

templdl

Senior Member
Location
Wisconsin
Re: Infinite Resistance

Does anybody remember what the original was? It was asked do long ago they probably changed the definition of resistance long ago.
 

physis

Senior Member
Re: Infinite Resistance

Charlie, I'm concerned, you're lacking you're typical tone of conviction.

:)
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
Re: Infinite Resistance

Originally posted by rattus:
My calculator says 1/0 = 9999999999.
I tried that with the calculator supplied with "Windows" (Programs > Accessories > Calculator)

1 / 0 = "Cannot divide by zero"

:D
 

rattus

Senior Member
Re: Infinite Resistance

Alright, you can't divide by zero with a calculator, but have you tried it with a slide rule? Or you might try it with logarithms!
 

charlie b

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Lockport, IL
Occupation
Retired Electrical Engineer
Re: Infinite Resistance

The number "0" does not appear on a slide rule, and the log of 0 is undefined (i.e., decreases without bound as you approach zero), as you (my fellow EE) bloody well know! :D :D

[ December 13, 2004, 10:15 AM: Message edited by: charlie b ]
 
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