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worm problem, PARADOX?



On 3/8/97 John Mallinckrodt wrote:

... I prove that 0 = 1. Tell me where the error is and how it differs
in essence from the error in your [argument].
Let x = 10^5 [Eq.1]
Let y = x+1 [Eq.2]
Now 1 is insignificant with respect to x. Therefore, to an excellent
approximation I can say
y = x [Eq.3]
Now substitute from Eq. 3 into Eq. 2 and find
x = x+1
Simplify and get 0 = 1
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Yes, there is a difference. Your conclusion should be "as long as x
is very large adding 0 or 1 to it will be very insignificant". Your
"proof" was based on the assumption that x is very large but your
conclusion is more general. My "proof" is also valid for very large
n but I am not hiding this. I am talking about the end of the race
situation only.
Ludwik Kowalski