Questions tagged [decimal-expansion]

For questions about decimal expansion, both practical and theoretical.

A number can be represented in many different ways, but the most common is via its decimal expansion. Such a representation takes the form

$$a_na_{n-1}\dots a_1a_0.a_{-1}a_{-2}\dots$$

where $a_n \in \{1, 2, \dots, 9\}$ and $a_i \in \{0, 1, 2, \dots, 9\}$ for $i = n - 1, n - 2, \dots, 1, 0, -1, -2, \dots$. In the case that there is $N > 0$ such that $a_i = 0$ for all $i < -N$, these numbers are supressed in which case the decimal expansion usually appears as

$$a_na_{n-1}\dots a_1a_0.a_{-1}a_{-2}\dots a_{-N}.$$

Note that concatenation does not represent multiplication, it is just a part of the notation. The . between $a_0$ and $a_{-1}$ does not represent multiplication either; it is sometimes called the decimal point.

To put the notation on a rigorous footing, the expression $a_na_{n-1}\dots a_1a_0.a_{-1}a_{-2}\dots$ is shorthand for

$$\sum_{i = 0}^na_i10^i + \sum_{i=1}^{\infty}a_{-i}\frac{1}{10^i} = \sum_{i = -\infty}^na_i10^i$$

which can be shown to be convergent irrespective of the choice of $a_i$.

1280 questions
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Is it true that $0.999999999\ldots=1$?

I'm told by smart people that $$0.999999999\ldots=1$$ and I believe them, but is there a proof that explains why this is?
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Why does an argument similiar to 0.999...=1 show 999...=-1?

I accept that two numbers can have the same supremum depending on how you generate a decimal representation. So $2.4999\ldots = 2.5$ etc. Can anyone point me to resources that would explain what the below argument that shows $999\ldots = -1$ is…
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Is there any mathematical reason for this "digit-repetition-show"?

The number $$\sqrt{308642}$$ has a crazy decimal representation : $$555.5555777777773333333511111102222222719999970133335210666544640008\cdots $$ Is there any mathematical reason for so many repetitions of the digits ? A long block containing only…
Peter
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What is special about the numbers 9801, 998001, 99980001 ..?

I just saw this post, and realized that 1/9801…
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How do we know that Cantor's diagonalization isn't creating a different decimal of the same number?

Edit: As the comments mention, I misunderstood how to use the diagonalization method. However, the issue I'm trying to understand is a potential problem with diagonalization and it is addressed in the answers so I will not delete the…
Hugh
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Numbers $n$ such that the digit sum of $n^2$ is a square

Let $S(n)$ be the digit sum of $n\in\mathbb N$ in the decimal system. About a month ago, a friend of mine taught me the…
mathlove
  • 151,597
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coincidental (?) patterns in logs of repeating decimals, e.g. $\ln(2/3)$ vs. $\ln(0.6666666)$

I was playing with logarithms under an arbitrary-precision calculator, and got some odd results. I happened to have the precision set to 20 places, and these are the initial results I got: ln 0.6666666 = -0.40546520810816938198 ln 2/3 =…
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Is $ 0.112123123412345123456\dots $ algebraic or transcendental?

Let $$x=0.112123123412345123456\dots $$ Since the decimal expansion of $x$ is non-terminating and non-repeating, clearly $x$ is an irrational number. Can it be shown whether $x$ is algebraic or transcendental over $\mathbb{Q}$ ? I think $x$ is…
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Why $9$ & $11$ are special in divisibility tests using decimal digit sums? (casting out nines & elevens)

I don't know if this is a well-known fact, but I have observed that every number, no matter how large, that is equally divided by $9$, will equal $9$ if you add all the numbers it is made from until there is $1$ digit. A quick example of what I…
61
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10 answers

Can a number have infinitely many digits before the decimal point?

I asked my teacher if a number can have infinitely many digits before the decimal point. He said that this isn't possible, even though there are numbers with infinitely many digits after the decimal point. I asked why and he said that if you keep…
Landing
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61
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The last digit of $2^{2006}$

My $13$ year old son was asked this question in a maths challenge. He correctly guessed $4$ on the assumption that the answer was likely to be the last digit of $2^6$. However is there a better explanation I can give him?
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Why do we miss 8 in the decimal expansion of 1/81, and 98 in the decimal expansion of 1/9801?

Why do we miss $8$ in the decimal expansion of $1/81$, and $98$ in the decimal expansion of $1/9801$? I've seen this happen that when you divide in a fraction using the square of any number with only nines in the denominator. Like in $$ …
Mathster
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59
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Is $6.12345678910111213141516171819202122\ldots$ transcendental?

My son was busily memorizing digits of $\pi$ when he asked if any power of $\pi$ was an integer. I told him: $\pi$ is transcendental, so no non-zero integer power can be an integer. After tiring of memorizing $\pi$, he resolved to discover a new…
Fixee
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$2^n$th decimal place of $\sqrt{2}.$

Someone on Art of Problem Solving claims to know how to calculate the $2^{2020}$th decimal place of $\sqrt{2},$ and will tell us if everyone gives up. Brute force will not work, nor will a BBP style formula (for the reason that one does not exist,…
52
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1 answer

Is $0.1010010001000010000010000001 \ldots$ transcendental?

Does anyone know if this number is algebraic or transcendental, and why? $$\sum\limits_{n = 1}^\infty {10}^{ - n(n + 1)/2} = 0.1010010001000010000010000001 \ldots $$
Raffaele
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