Infinity is actually a very small number

in mathematics •  7 years ago 

 Proof Infinity is equal to 1 and -1 and 1/2

If like me you thought that infinity was a huge number then think again.

what is  1 + 2 + 4 + 8 + 16 + 32 + ... ?

    where ... means carry on forever

let this number be I (Infinity), so:

eq (1)  I = 1+2+4+8+16+32+...

taking eq (1) and multiplying both sides by 2 we get 

eq (2)  2xI = 2 (1+2+4+8+16+32+...)

              2I = 2+4+8+16+32+64....

now if we say eq (3) = eq (1) - eq (1)

2I - I = (2+4+8+16+32+64....) - (1+2+4+8+16+32...)

if you look carefully you will see that eq (2) repeats in eq (1) with the exception of the leading 1, so solving this you get

I = -1

-----------------------------------

So if you continue to add bigger and bigger numbers, ad infinitum, then you bend around the time qunatum continium, proving time travel is possible as you end up before you start i.e -1.  This is how the flux capacitor in Back to the Future works.

Now lets try this:

1-1+1-1+1-1+1-1....

the above can be written as 

      (1-1)+(1-1)+(1-1)+(1-1)...

=>   0+0+0+0+0...

so what is the sum of of infinite bunch of zeros ?   Zero you say... well lets see....

is 1-1+1 not the same as 1 - (1 -1)   

so if we rewrite our original equation as :

    1-(1-1)-(1-1)-(1-1)...   = 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 ...

mmm... this demands that it is equal to 1   so which is it 0 or 1 

lets T be the answer

eq (4)  T = 1-1+1-1+1-1+1-1....

taking the -ve of each

eq (5)  -T = -1+1-1+1-1+1-1....

this is is the same as eq (4) without the first 1  so if take eq (4) and subtract 1 you get -T

so eq (6)  -T = T-1

therefore  -2T= 1

                    T = 1/2

So T is 0, 1 and 1/2

 \  . . /

     i

credit/reference :   

1.  How Not to be Wrong.  The power of Mathematical Thinking  by Jordan Ellenberg 

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Just like those annoying guys who go to magic shows just work out how the tricks work I've been thinking about the 'tricks' presented above. I've worked out what's wrong with the first one-> infinity has the interesting property that multiplying it by any strictly positive real number leaves it unchanged (i.e. 2 *I = I= 23.6 *I), so some ofthe steps shown above don't work. What is annoying me at the moment is that I can't remember the correct way to sum a series likethe 1-1+1... example (or if this is this defined).