If I cut something into 3 equal pieces, there are 3 defined pieces. But, 1÷3= .333333~. Why is the math a nonstop repeating decimal when existence allows 3 pieces? Is the assumption that it’s physically impossible to cut something into 3 perfectly even pieces?

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If I cut something into 3 equal pieces, there are 3 defined pieces. But, 1÷3= .333333~. Why is the math a nonstop repeating decimal when existence allows 3 pieces? Is the assumption that it’s physically impossible to cut something into 3 perfectly even pieces?

In: Mathematics

41 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Take math as a language, a representation of how we describe the universe. If you cut 1 thing into 3 equal pieces, you’ll have 1/3 a piece. Like language, you can also say that it’s 0.3333~, simply 0.33. With the number system we’re using, there are times where we come up with answers that barely represent the real thing, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t correct and we can’t use it.

Take 0.3333~ for example.

> **Is the assumption that it’s physically impossible to cut something into 3 perfectly even pieces?**

It is possible in this case. They’re all equal and they’re all 0.3333~. Most of the people are just not used to arriving at repeating decimals as answers. There’s nothing wrong about it. At one point in our lives, we were always expecting for whole numbers as the correct answers