2010/01/01 by Karin U. Katz, Mikhail G. Katz · 2 citations
Mathematics · Social Sciences · #Mathematical and Theoretical Analysis #History and Theory of Mathematics #Multidisciplinary Warburg-centric Studies #Symbol (formal) #Notation #Limit (mathematics) #Interpretation (philosophy) #Unital #Point (geometry) #Mathematics #Computer science #Linguistics #Arithmetic #Pure mathematics #Algebra over a field #Philosophy #Mathematical analysis
paper · doi:10.54870/1551-3440.1381
openalex publication_date 2010/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We examine alternative interpretations of the symbol described as nought, point, nine recurring. Is "an infinite number of 9s" merely a figure of speech? How are such alternative interpretations related to infinite cardinalities? How are they expressed in Lightstone's "semicolon" notation? Is it possible to choose a canonical alternative interpretation? Should unital evaluation of the symbol .999... be inculcated in a pre-limit teaching environment? The problem of the unital evaluation is hereby examined from the pre-R, pre-lim viewpoint of the student.