Astner
Both in this forum and the sub-forum there seem to be a great misconception regarding the understanding of infinity and I'd like to clear a few things out.
The infinite, like the finite is a state applicable to all types of quantification. There's nothing in-between the quantities, there's nothing near infinite and there's nothing near finite.
A set, or quantity is infinite if and only if the quantity can be described with a number. For instance the set of natural numbers are infinite due to the fact that there is no highest natural number (see picture bellow).
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/2723/natural.gif
We also know that the amount of prime numbers are infinite, due to the proof bellow.
http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/5044/prime.gif
But I digress.
Now two infinite sets are considered equal when you can construct a scheme where for all numbers in one set are correspondent in the other set.
Now, lets compare the set of natural numbers above to the set of integers.
http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/7159/int.gif
By constructing the following scheme we can see that for every natural number there's a corresponding integer.
http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/5583/int2.gif
Or for those who prefer a table.
http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/6924/int3.gif
So if you give me a integer, say the number -2010, the corresponding number would be 4021. Nonetheless for any possible integer you could provide I could provide a corresponding natural number, hence the sets are equal.
From this we learn that and infinite set does not increase in size if you multiply it or add to it.
Next we want to examine if the set of natural numbers to rational numbers.
http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/3314/quo.gif
What we do is pair up the numbers in the following manner to avoid the infinities.
http://static.duartes.org/img/blogPosts/countingRationals.png
And eventually for any rational number you provide, say 1/5 I'd be able to correspond that with a natural number 14.
The infinite, like the finite is a state applicable to all types of quantification. There's nothing in-between the quantities, there's nothing near infinite and there's nothing near finite.
A set, or quantity is infinite if and only if the quantity can be described with a number. For instance the set of natural numbers are infinite due to the fact that there is no highest natural number (see picture bellow).
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/2723/natural.gif
We also know that the amount of prime numbers are infinite, due to the proof bellow.
http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/5044/prime.gif
But I digress.
Now two infinite sets are considered equal when you can construct a scheme where for all numbers in one set are correspondent in the other set.
Now, lets compare the set of natural numbers above to the set of integers.
http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/7159/int.gif
By constructing the following scheme we can see that for every natural number there's a corresponding integer.
http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/5583/int2.gif
Or for those who prefer a table.
http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/6924/int3.gif
So if you give me a integer, say the number -2010, the corresponding number would be 4021. Nonetheless for any possible integer you could provide I could provide a corresponding natural number, hence the sets are equal.
From this we learn that and infinite set does not increase in size if you multiply it or add to it.
Next we want to examine if the set of natural numbers to rational numbers.
http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/3314/quo.gif
What we do is pair up the numbers in the following manner to avoid the infinities.
http://static.duartes.org/img/blogPosts/countingRationals.png
And eventually for any rational number you provide, say 1/5 I'd be able to correspond that with a natural number 14.