For example, they allow you to write
1/3 + 1/3 + 1/3 = 1
Which is not possible in decimal
Comment on Kid gave a reasonable answer without all the math bullshit
Rooty@lemmy.world 3 weeks agoI understand fractions, I simply doubt their utility.
Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
axEl7fB5@lemmy.cafe 3 weeks ago
Tf you mean?? You can write it in a repeating decimal as
0.333…using ellipsis. wiki.froth.zone/wiki/Repeating_decimalKnock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
So you think
0.333… + 0.333… + 0.333… = 1Is that clearer and more concise?
Fractional representation is the method for rational numbers, particularly if they are part of an intermediate calculation.
Decimals are lossy, fractions aren’t.
axEl7fB5@lemmy.cafe 3 weeks ago
No because you said this:
If you want to precisely write to infinity you write 1/3.
You can also precisely write to infinity if you write 0.333…
Jamablaya@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
well, no, it’s understood that a third is .333 to infinity, so .333+.333+.333 does equal 1 for any use not requiring precision to the point of it mattering that it was actually .33333335 when measured.
Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
No. You wrote .333
If you want to precisely write to infinity you write 1/3.
actually .33333335
Holy fuck. Where did that 5 come from?
Jamablaya@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
It came from it not being actually .333 to infinity when measured in the required engineering precision i was talking about. It’s literally a “common use” mathematical convention (you clearly are unaware of) that three times .333 is one. Solves a lot of problems due to a failure of the notation.
SLVRDRGN@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Hate to break it to you but anything less than a whole is a fraction of a whole thing. Decimals, too, are bits of a whole.
Jamablaya@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Saying shit like that implies you don’t really get that they are the same thing.