Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity)

Newsgroups	alt.comp.lang.borland-delphi, alt.math, comp.arch, comp.graphics.algorithms, comp.lang.c
Date	2011-10-07 19:56 -0700
From	William Elliot <marsh@rdrop.com>
Subject	Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity)
Message-ID	<20111007192049.J37315@agora.rdrop.com> (permalink)
References	<89f27$4e8f9f40$5419acc3$12829@cache4.tilbu1.nb.home.nl>

Cross-posted to 5 groups.

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On Sat, 8 Oct 2011, Skybuck Flying wrote:

> I was just wondering what happens if "Infinity" is added to "Infinity" when 
> it comes to floating point numbers ?
>
> And also what happens if "Negative Infinity" is added to "Negative 
> Infinity"... ?

The infinity of analysis, oo, is not defined by floating point numbers.
There is an oo and -oo defined in the extended reals and within the
extended reals one may consider that oo + oo = oo and -oo + -oo = -oo.

> In Delphi these are defined as follows (in the math.pas unit):
>
Do you mean the Delphic Oracle?  No, the Delphic Oracle doesn't
know math.  As far as computer baloney is concerned, infinity is
simply an over load error message.

> const
> Infinity    =  1.0 / 0.0;
> NegInfinity = -1.0 / 0.0;

Gibberish.

> As far as I know this conforms to some kind of floating point standard.

It does?  In the extended reals, 1/0 and -1/0 are considered undefined.

> I haven't tried to add these two numbers together yet, but I will soon try it 
> out.

You want to add oo and -oo?  In the extend reals oo + -oo is undefined.
If you naively manipulate the symbols, 1/0 + -1/0 = (1 + -1)/0 = 0/0
you are again faced with an undefined indeterminate.

> I am just wondering from a theoretical point of view what should happen ?
>
> Should it wrap back from infinity to infinity ?
> Should it wrap back from negative infinity to negative infinity ?
> Or will perhaps something weird happen ?
>
Doesn't compute.

Speaking of infinite, do you know that the infinity of integers
is smaller than the infinity of real numbers and the infinity
for real numbers is smaller than the infinity of the subsets of
real numbers and that there are more, ever larger infinities -
more infinities than any infinite number?

Conway has constructed a field of infinite numbers, containing all the 
infinite numbers of set theory indicated above.  He even constructs
sqr aleph_0.  I would think in his theory that aleph_eta - aleph_eta = 0.

Here aleph_0 is the first infinite cardinal and aleph_eta is the
eta-th infinite cardinal of a transfinite sequence of all infinite
numbers over all of the ordinal numbers.

There is a forth type of infinite, the geometric infinity
of the point at infinity where in Euclidean space, parallel
lines meet.  In fact there's even a line at finity of all
the points at infinity, one for each different slope m, where
all the parallel lines with slope m meet.

There are other types of infinity - the philosophical, the theological, 
the science fiction and the computer hack infinities - each progressively
better than the other for infinite nonsense.

Thread

Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) "Skybuck Flying" <Windows7IsOK@DreamPC2006.com> - 2011-10-08 02:54 +0200
  Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Robert Myers <rbmyersusa@gmail.com> - 2011-10-07 18:40 -0700
    Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-10-07 22:39 -0400
  Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) William Elliot <marsh@rdrop.com> - 2011-10-07 19:56 -0700
    Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Jasen Betts <jasen@xnet.co.nz> - 2011-10-08 06:45 +0000
      Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) gordonb.eug6r@burditt.org (Gordon Burditt) - 2011-10-08 02:37 -0500
        Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) William Elliot <marsh@rdrop.com> - 2011-10-08 21:40 -0700
          Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Kaba <kaba@nowhere.com> - 2011-10-09 12:17 +0300
  Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Jasen Betts <jasen@xnet.co.nz> - 2011-10-08 06:33 +0000
  Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) "Skybuck Flying" <Windows7IsOK@DreamPC2006.com> - 2011-10-08 16:41 +0200
    Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) kenney@cix.compulink.co.uk - 2011-10-09 04:01 -0500
  Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Kaba <kaba@nowhere.com> - 2011-10-08 17:43 +0300
    Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) "christian.bau" <christian.bau@cbau.wanadoo.co.uk> - 2011-10-08 10:20 -0700
      Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Kaba <kaba@nowhere.com> - 2011-10-08 22:35 +0300
    Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) nmm1@cam.ac.uk - 2011-10-08 18:55 +0100
      Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Kaba <kaba@nowhere.com> - 2011-10-08 23:03 +0300
        Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) nmm1@cam.ac.uk - 2011-10-08 21:27 +0100
          Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-10-08 17:28 -0400
            Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Robert Myers <rbmyersusa@gmail.com> - 2011-10-08 18:15 -0400
            Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) nmm1@cam.ac.uk - 2011-10-08 23:23 +0100
              Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-10-08 21:29 -0400
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) nmm1@cam.ac.uk - 2011-10-09 10:01 +0100
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Al Grant <algrant@myrealbox.com> - 2011-10-12 06:14 -0700
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) nmm1@cam.ac.uk - 2011-10-12 15:25 +0100
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-10-12 12:10 -0400
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) nmm1@cam.ac.uk - 2011-10-12 18:41 +0100
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-10-12 15:32 -0400
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) nmm1@cam.ac.uk - 2011-10-12 20:44 +0100
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Robert Myers <rbmyersusa@gmail.com> - 2011-10-12 18:11 -0700
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Andrew Reilly <areilly---@bigpond.net.au> - 2011-10-13 03:48 +0000
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) "Paul A. Clayton" <paaronclayton@gmail.com> - 2011-10-12 23:15 -0700
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Terje Mathisen <"terje.mathisen at tmsw.no"> - 2011-10-13 09:12 +0200
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) "Paul A. Clayton" <paaronclayton@gmail.com> - 2011-10-13 00:49 -0700
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Terje Mathisen <"terje.mathisen at tmsw.no"> - 2011-10-13 10:37 +0200
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) EricP <ThatWouldBeTelling@thevillage.com> - 2011-10-13 11:04 -0400
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) EricP <ThatWouldBeTelling@thevillage.com> - 2011-10-13 17:15 -0400
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Terje Mathisen <"terje.mathisen at tmsw.no"> - 2011-10-14 09:22 +0200
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) EricP <ThatWouldBeTelling@thevillage.com> - 2011-10-14 13:37 -0400
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) "Andy \"Krazy\" Glew" <andy@SPAM.comp-arch.net> - 2011-10-13 11:11 -0700
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Al Grant <algrant@myrealbox.com> - 2011-10-14 01:04 -0700
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) nmm1@cam.ac.uk - 2011-10-13 09:07 +0100
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Al Grant <algrant@myrealbox.com> - 2011-10-13 07:00 -0700
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Robert Myers <rbmyersusa@gmail.com> - 2011-10-14 10:54 -0700
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Andrew Reilly <areilly---@bigpond.net.au> - 2011-10-14 22:36 +0000
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Terje Mathisen <"terje.mathisen at tmsw.no"> - 2011-10-15 09:26 +0200
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) "Paul A. Clayton" <paaronclayton@gmail.com> - 2011-10-15 05:39 -0700
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Terje Mathisen <"terje.mathisen at tmsw.no"> - 2011-10-15 14:56 +0200
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) nmm1@cam.ac.uk - 2011-10-17 08:37 +0100
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Terje Mathisen <"terje.mathisen at tmsw.no"> - 2011-10-17 12:03 +0200
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) nmm1@cam.ac.uk - 2011-10-17 11:13 +0100
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Terje Mathisen <"terje.mathisen at tmsw.no"> - 2011-10-17 22:30 +0200
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) "Paul A. Clayton" <paaronclayton@gmail.com> - 2011-10-17 14:47 -0700
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Terje Mathisen <"terje.mathisen at tmsw.no"> - 2011-10-18 11:33 +0200
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) nmm1@cam.ac.uk - 2011-10-18 10:21 +0100
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) nmm1@cam.ac.uk - 2011-10-18 08:16 +0100
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Terje Mathisen <"terje.mathisen at tmsw.no"> - 2011-10-18 14:26 +0200
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) nmm1@cam.ac.uk - 2011-10-18 13:32 +0100
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Terje Mathisen <"terje.mathisen at tmsw.no"> - 2011-10-18 17:47 +0200
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) nmm1@cam.ac.uk - 2011-10-18 17:51 +0100
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Terje Mathisen <"terje.mathisen at tmsw.no"> - 2011-10-19 10:37 +0200
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) nmm1@cam.ac.uk - 2011-10-19 09:36 +0100
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Terje Mathisen <"terje.mathisen at tmsw.no"> - 2011-10-19 11:46 +0200
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) nmm1@cam.ac.uk - 2011-10-19 10:45 +0100
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Terje Mathisen <"terje.mathisen at tmsw.no"> - 2011-10-19 13:11 +0200
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) nmm1@cam.ac.uk - 2011-10-19 12:12 +0100
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Terje Mathisen <"terje.mathisen at tmsw.no"> - 2011-10-19 16:22 +0200
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) nmm1@cam.ac.uk - 2011-10-19 15:16 +0100
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Andrew Reilly <areilly---@bigpond.net.au> - 2011-10-15 20:16 +0000
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Robert Myers <rbmyersusa@gmail.com> - 2011-10-15 16:26 -0700
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Terje Mathisen <"terje.mathisen at tmsw.no"> - 2011-10-17 08:14 +0200
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) nmm1@cam.ac.uk - 2011-10-17 08:22 +0100
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Terje Mathisen <"terje.mathisen at tmsw.no"> - 2011-10-17 11:39 +0200
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) rpw3@rpw3.org (Rob Warnock) - 2011-10-17 21:00 -0500
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) "Skybuck Flying" <Windows7IsOK@DreamPC2006.com> - 2011-10-18 05:44 +0200
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) "Andy \"Krazy\" Glew" <andy@SPAM.comp-arch.net> - 2011-10-17 21:35 -0700
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Jasen Betts <jasen@xnet.co.nz> - 2011-10-24 02:40 +0000
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Phil Carmody <thefatphil_demunged@yahoo.co.uk> - 2011-10-27 00:32 +0300
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Terje Mathisen <"terje.mathisen at tmsw.no"> - 2011-10-27 10:41 +0200
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Phil Carmody <thefatphil_demunged@yahoo.co.uk> - 2011-10-27 13:10 +0300
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Terje Mathisen <"terje.mathisen at tmsw.no"> - 2011-10-27 13:53 +0200
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-10-12 12:34 -0700
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Al Grant <algrant@myrealbox.com> - 2011-10-13 06:39 -0700
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-10-13 10:34 -0400
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Al Grant <algrant@myrealbox.com> - 2011-10-14 00:54 -0700
            Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Larry Hewitt <larryhwtt@comporium.net> - 2011-10-09 21:35 -0400
              Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) "Skybuck Flying" <Windows7IsOK@DreamPC2006.com> - 2011-10-10 04:37 +0200
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Larry Hewitt <larryhwtt@comporium.net> - 2011-10-10 13:58 -0400
                Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) "Skybuck Flying" <Windows7IsOK@DreamPC2006.com> - 2011-10-13 20:17 +0200
        Re: Infinity + Infinity (or NegInfinity - NegInfinity) Arivald <arivald_@AT_interia_DOT_.pl> - 2011-10-13 12:10 +0200

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