Crunching numbers is not the issue. Pure mathematics starts with ratios (fractions) then moves on to tools for what we call geometry. For example, the volume of a sphere is defined as a ratio (fraction), not a decimal approximation. Next we move into Trigonometry and Calculus. The definitions and identities are based on ratios (fractions) not decimal approximations. You can't differentiate or integrate using decimal approximations.
The question of whether decimals or fractions are better has nothing to do with the purpose of this forum: "Metrication." Fractions versus decimals? Depends on what you are doing. On Fri, Aug 14, 2009 at 7:07 AM, Pierre Abbat <p...@phma.optus.nu> wrote: > > On Friday 14 August 2009 08:38:33 John M. Steele wrote: > > Yes. Computers, calculators, etc only use decimal. In the "real world", > > you almost never have the nice clean coefficients where fractions really > > work. > > Computers use binary, in which 0.1 cannot be represented exactly. They can > be > programmed to use rational numbers. > > In algebra, you are more likely to get denominators like 7 and 17 than > powers > of 5 times powers of 2. > > Pierre > >
