Me and my friend were talking in math class about, what would Infinity divided by 2 be?

Because infinity divided by 1 = infinity

so infinity divided by 2 = 2 infinitys, since theyre infinitys wouldent it just be like duplicating infinity?

This is starting to hurt my mind. Give me your opinions.

It's just half the infinity to me.

anything divided by one will be equal to itself.
anything divided by two will be equal to half of itself.

so it would be (1/2)infinity

but that defeats the purpose, cuz if infinity goes on forever and you divide it you really still have infinity, or is it 1/2 infinity,

It's a genuine paradox. The human mind cannot conceive of the infinite. Likewise, it also cannot conceive of half of the inconceivable. As Yele and Rose have pointed out, it would be an equation such as X and .5X
X represents the unknown and .5X represents half of the unknown, which, in actuality, remains the unknown.
I don't understand how the word purpose applies to this.

You can't divide something that dosen't end.

Do infinite decimals end? No. But I can divide pi.

Only when it's shortened to just 3.145

I divided the whole thing in my calculator, and got half of pi.

That because Pi as 3.145 isnt mathmatically correct in terms of anything having to do with Infinity. Try dividing it in it's infinite form! Supercomputers have shut down just trying to get to the highest possible digit of Pi itself! We only shorten the numbers into whole numbers etc. for use with practical matters.

1/infinity=0.
Is that dividing infinity?

In my opinion I dont think so.

Well actually you can, and it is dividing. And it works backwards as well. If you can do that, why not divide by two and so on.

Eventually you wouldn't be able to divide anymore, it would start to hurt from all of the chaos spreading outwards and inwards. You would lose track of what to put back together again after so much dividing. See one space will get smaller and the other larger - macro/micro infinite. The moment you can't concentrate on it, the moment the chaos takes effect on your brain.

Then, yes, it would probably hurt....

oooh, another infinity question. I like these, only because it is interesting to see who is the better brain contortionist!

Anyway as Yele put accross 1/infinity = 0 , which means that infinity = undefined (by mathematical terms) since 1/0 = undefined (infinity).

Now with regards to halving something that is undefined, you will STILL finish up with something that is undefined. Simple. Hence infinity/2 = UNDEFINED (infinity). AND interestingly enough, you cannot find a half-point in something that is undefined (infinity).

Where most are going wrong here is assuming that infinity is something that is DEFINED and definite. When people define infinity as simply adding (for example) a number like 1 to an already existing number - they are defining the rate towards infinity NOT infinity itself. Similarly, by defining infinity as going around in circles for ever, you've defined the circle not infinity itself. You have not defined infinity by saying 'for ever' as 'for ever' lacks real definition in reality - there are so far no known examples of forever!. Infinity cannot be defined. Does anyone else see this?

Cheers

Hmm.
Half of infinite. My thery consists that infinite is time. Yet, I have found another way to prove my matter.
If infinite is forever, half of a infinite is half of forever. Therefore=
Forever -divided by- 2= 1/2 Forever.
Proving my point. If Infinite started NOW...
...
...
Waiting for a second...
And the second line of infinite started NOW...
If we are going at a steady pace, 2nd infinite would be a couple seconds behind, therefore behind "half" of infinite...

So hard to explain. Anyone get it?

Amazing discussion. FYI, infinity is not a number or even an expresssion to indicate that it goes on for ever like pi (transcendental number without a polynomial). Infinity, 1/0 is NOT infinity but an undefined number. Another word, there is no real answer to 1/0 or calculus assigned infinity. So if you define an undefined number anything you end with another undefined number, infinity. Please, 1/0=infinity is what is taught to elementary kids algebra for simplicity.

Rohn

These two statements, are you just trying to make a point?

Undefine number is considered infinity in algebra. Since as you divide a +ve number by ever increasing smaller number, result is increase linear ... you could say infinity. But mathematically, you cannot divide any number by zero. The result being an unedfined number and not infinity. This is fine in algebra and fails in calculus.

Lets now divide -ve number by ever increasing smaller number, does you answer reach incrasing higher number, so called infinity? No. Another words, when you divide -ve number by ever incrasing smaller number you apparoach 0.

To over come this, 1/0 or -1/0 is not infinity but rather an undefine number.

Now to the original question. If you divide infinity by say 2, the answer isn't infinity/2 since infinity is undefine to start with. If you define inifnity as a very large number, the logic will hold. But unfortunately this only in algebra where infinity is define to make it easier.

What is square root of -1? i. Then what is i. Can you give me an exact number for i? Why not?

Is that clear now.

Rohn

Pitch perfect
(I thought you contradicted yourself at first)

As I was writing the above post something else occured to me.

What is zero? I like to know what every thinks?

Rohn

Sorry to hijack this post.

Prove zero exists, you prove infinty exists. Does zero really exist at all?
In a lot of ancient cultures there wasn't a zero, just a blank space to "indicate" it when doing additions. Zero, in my opinion, is a convenience, etc.

Is zero even a number? Or is it just a word to represent nothing?

I wrote a basic computer program in BASIC to explain something that was brought up here about pi and it value.



I got a value of 3.142857 pi when pi is declared as single and value of 3.14285714285714 when declared as double.

Iif you were to do this on a piece of paper, you will get 142857 repeat over and over gain. When using a calculator or a computer, a value must stored some where and depending on declaration of the variable you will get varying accuracy.

Now if I was do run the same little project in Ada, FORTRAN or C++ you will get better accuracy again depending on what you declare the variable as.

On many (basic) calculators all the data is store is using only one byte, so the numbered is rounded/truncated to fit in byte of storage.

Rohn

Rohn

Excellent.

Zero is also called nil, naught or nought. Zero is place indicator for adding or divding. Zero is not a numerical number but indicating nothingness.

So if it not a number, dividing a number by zero is undefined ... doesn't exist since zero doesn't exit.

Rohn

rohnds,

Did you read the script notes to the film "pi" by Darren Aronofsky? I could swear that some of your ideas are in his script notes. Great stuff. Thank you for your contributions, sincerely.

?????
Sorry, I don't watch a lot of movies ... I am more of a bookworm.

Rohn

You "created" the beginning of an infinite at time 0000
You "created" another beginning of an infinite at time 0002

You have 2 infinits, one starting 2 secounds after the other. This simply means that you started to count one infinite 2 secounds later, it does not show anything about half of infinite.

If you (try) to perform any mathematical operation on infinite, you will get infinite.

zero is just an indication of a complete lack of something. You can't have zero in itself, only when it's referring to something. In mathmatics, it's a figure that states, 'there are no numbers'

nothing can be added, subtracted, multiplied, divided etc. to or from infinity as (like was said before) it is not a defined number.
If you were to try dividing infinity by 2, you will still have infinity. even if you did take something away from infinity, it would still be never-ending.

I think that infinity too, like zero, is just a term we use to describe something that doesn't, and can't exist. Zero lacks something, and infinity lacks nothingness. Infinity cannot exist. There is an end to everything. As Yelekiah mentioned, zero is just a symbol for convenience, as is infinity. These things enable us to manipulate numbers to arrive at answers that would otherwise be impossible.

^^^ Well put.

Cheers

That's what I was thinking immediately. Infinity is not a number, its a concept. You can't divide concepts. Well, yeah you can, but not mathamatically.

i dont understand why you can not divide by naught if you can divide by one.
when you divide by one you do not actually divide anything either. a whole apple stays a whole apple, just as it will stay a whole apple if divided by naught. people also say dividing by naught is purposeless, but so is dividing by one. i admit i am not a very mathemtical person, so anyone brainy with numbers please help me find logic here.

^^^ I often thought the same - afterall if I divide an apple by nothing (presumably 0) I should get an apple. But unfortunately 0 in mathematics does not equate to 'nothing'.

So the only way I can partially help you is like this...
how many apples go into 1 apple? 1
how many half-apples go into 1 apple? 2
how many quarter-apples go into 1 apple? 4
.
.
.
how many .00001's of an apple go into 1 apple? 100000
.
.
how many 1 x 10^-100 's of an apple go into 1 apple? 1 x 10^100

Can you see why division by 0 is undefined? The closer one approaches division by 0 (but not actually 0) the greater the result. If we truly try division by 0 then the answer should technically be infinity (undefined).

Hope that helps.

Cheers

Well since infinity is not representable by conventional means, we could treat it as a mathematical varible. For instance, let's say that Infinity = x. Therefore x/2 = 1/2x, and so on. We can represent it as such, but since we would never be able to evaluate the equation, there is no point.

It looks like some people missed the point of the question...

He's just asking if divided infinity by 2 would make another infinity...

The question is just as simple as that...

Yes...

It can be divided into more infinity...

well if we take into consideration or exampulate the string/brane theory if the expanse of the universe is two or more then the answer would be no...1 would only be right as the area that would hold them would be infinit/and the universes finite....or we could put to another theory by taking the picture as a well and saying that the area around the mass is infinite which is one/expanse...but the mase of constant strings of multi-universes are in constant grouth in the area of expanse which would make that infinite but i would say it would be more than to as if you start from one then theorise a grouth in that youll attain two but still one as a unit of whole...

u cant devide infinity, u can onlg devide what is within infinity but not an infinate number...

Infinity devided by infinity = infinity.

stfu.

[In base 10]

If Infinity = 999999'

then Infinity / 2= 499999'

- or what AC said. That works for me too...

it all depends on how you use the word, if you use it to described somthing then u know if it would have a relevance to play with its meaningbut even you somhow came up with to objects of the same value then you cant get to as the word infinite means never ends. but you can get a value of two infinites from to very different points that have different value concepts/ie numbers or stringtheory/branes...

While this thread has popped up again, I'd like to take this opportunity to correct a previous erroneous statement... I apologise, but if we truly try division by 0 then the answer is UNDEFINED, not infinity.

Even though infinity may be 'undefined' it is not the same as division by 0, it is simply more precisely a notion.

If you're interested in 0 this is a great read and covers division by 0, 0's history and if I remember correctly infinity also...
Zero in Four Dimensions: Cultural, Historical, Mathematical, and Psychological Perspectives

And I will still maintain you cannot divide a notion (infinity)

it all depends on how you use the word, if you use it to described somthing then u know if it would have a relevance to play with its meaningbut even you somhow came up with to objects of the same value then you cant get to as the word infinite means never ends. but you can get a value of two infinites from to very different points that have different value concepts/ie numbers or stringtheory/branes...

yes if you divide a infinite youll get two not half but that on correrlates with your intentions of using it...u cant have "A" infinite and make it half,that would make two and u cant have two infintes of one source they would have to be different

Alright then...

You people like to use numbers...

Ok...

Try this on for size...

How many blood cells, white cells, etc...

Does a human-body have...

In a Lifetime?...

lets pretend a ball can role infinitly around a circuit, split it in half then its not....but if you have two balls in two very different circuits independantly they will two infinites.........or shall i try to sum up a different scenario...

Never a truer word spoken, as far as this thread is concerned.

It is uncountable...

In other words, Infinity...

No. You could count them if you had the time, energy, and will to do so (or could be bothered). I don't think infinity exists in real terms. A lot of posts have said it can't be comprehended, but I believe it can. Infinity really only exists as a mathematical construct. The people who constructed it must have understood the concept of infinity to work through the mathematics involved. In real terms, i think there is a beginning and end to everything, which includes time and the multiverse.

before we can answer this question we need to agree on one thing, infinite means never ending, without limit, eternal, bottomless.

If we all agree on that, then the answer is simple, dont ask such a question whos answer is so plainly obvious.

And the answer if that wasnt obvious enough is: No

a finite distance between points a & b can be divided by two, and all divisions inbetween. the end result of all those divisions will be no greater than the sum of the distance between point a & b.

having said that infinity can not be divided in two, leaves us with only one possibility, that a single point in space can be considered half way since the distance in any direction from that point is infinite. this single point halfway mark will also apply to the position of any point in space, since the universe is infinite. so no matter where you are in the universe you will be at the halfway mark, and so will your freind who lives down the road, or the man in the moon.

if that sounds right to you, you may use that as your answer, if it does not sound right, then keep on hurting your brain...

thanks