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Infinitesimal
An infinitesimal number is smaller than each positive number and is larger then each negative number.
Explanation
Non-standard analysis reformulates the calculus using a logically rigorous notion of infinitesimal numbers. In the real number system R there is only one infinitesimal. i.e. zero.
HistoryThe German mathematician Gottfried Leibniz (1646 - 1716) described infinitesimals. However, in Archimedean mathematics infinitesimals do not exist and should be avoided there. |