From: Ohad Lutzky <lutzky@...>
Date: 2006-05-25T14:08:40+09:00
Subject: Re: greatest float smaller than 1.0?

Pardon, you were looking for the other direction :)

Ohad Lutzky wrote:
> polypus wrote:
>> thanks everyone for your advice
> 
> By the way, the problem in your question lies with calculus. Fact is, in 
> reality, there IS no 'greatest real number smaller than 1'. (not even 
> for rational numbers). Here's proof: Say someone gives you a number x 
> which they claim is such a number. Then consider
> 
>   h = (1 - x) / 2
> 
> h is greater than x, but still smaller than 1. So you can always keep 
> getting closer to 1, and no number will be 'greatest'.
> 
> As such, the answer you got from everyone was 'what is the greatest 
> number that my computer will CONSIDER to be smaller than one'? And that 
> depends on your computer. This is why the Epsilon answer works best.

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