Formal Writing #4, Draft #1, due Wednesday, March 6, in class:

Write a 2-4 page paper on the following topic.

Do you think .999… = 1? What makes sense to you, and why? Try to articulate your beliefs; you may find it helpful to use examples to clarify your position.

You should seriously consider the opposite point of view. Think about how you see the problem differently than those who hold the other position.

I do not expect you to use material from readings. (Your readings for March 4 discuss a related, but different issue, and I do not think they will be directly useful for this essay.) The goal here is to explore what makes sense to you.

As always, feel free to draw pictures. If you need to write mathematical symbols and equations, it is a good idea to learn how to use an equation editor in your word processor (especially for those of you in scientific fields), but I am not requiring it. You can neatly handwrite symbols and equations on your essay if you prefer.

You can write this essay in an informal tone, although I will expect standard academic writing in the next draft. You can choose the audience and purpose of your paper (e.g., writing to a friend who is interested in the problem, or writing to persuade someone who disagrees with you). Feel free to be creative. However, you may not assume that your audience has a background in any mathematics other than high school material and some basic calculus. (You can discuss limits, sequences, and series, although you should explain what results you are using. It might be good to imagine that your reader took calculus but may not remember it or understand it well.) When in doubt, explain the material you are discussing.