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Infinitesimal


An infinitesimal is some quantity that is explicitly nonzero and yet smaller in absolute value than any real quantity. The understanding of infinitesimals was a major roadblock to the acceptance of calculus and its placement on a firm mathematical foundation.


See also

Infinite, Infinity, Nonstandard Analysis

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References

Bell, J. L. A Primer of Infinitesimal Analysis. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1998.Wolfram, S. A New Kind of Science. Champaign, IL: Wolfram Media, p. 1168, 2002.

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Infinitesimal

Cite this as:

Weisstein, Eric W. "Infinitesimal." From MathWorld--A Wolfram Web Resource. https://mathworld.wolfram.com/Infinitesimal.html

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