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paradox of the binary tree
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(Definition)
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The complete infinite binary tree is a tree that consists of nodes (namely the numerals $0$ and $1$ ) such that every node has two children which are not children of any other node. The tree serves as binary representation of all real numbers of the interval $[0,1]$ in form of paths, i.e., sequences of nodes.
Every finite binary tree with more than one level contains less paths than nodes. Up to level $n$ there are $2^{n}$ paths and $2^{n+1} - 1$ nodes.
Every finite binary tree can be represented as an ordered set of nodes, enumerated by natural numbers. The union of all finite binary trees is then identical with the infinite binary tree. The paradox is that, while the set of nodes remains countable as is the set of paths of all finite trees, the set of paths in the infinite tree is uncountable by Cantor's theorem. (On the other hand, the paths are separated by the nodes. As no path can separate itself from another path without a node, the number of separated paths is the number of nodes.)
Literature W. Mückenheim: Die Mathematik des Unendlichen, Shaker-Verlag, Aachen 2006.
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"paradox of the binary tree" is owned by WM. [ full author list (3) ]
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(view preamble | get metadata)
| Other names: |
binary tree paradox |
| Also defines: |
complete binary tree, complete infinite binary tree |
| Keywords: |
set theory, Cantor's theorem, uncountability |
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Cross-references: number, separated, Cantor's theorem, uncountable, countable, paradox, infinite, union, natural numbers, contains, level, binary tree, finite, sequences, paths, interval, real numbers, children, nodes, tree
There are 3 references to this entry.
This is version 15 of paradox of the binary tree, born on 2007-05-04, modified 2007-05-13.
Object id is 9332, canonical name is ParadoxOfTheBinaryTree.
Accessed 3461 times total.
Classification:
| AMS MSC: | 03E15 (Mathematical logic and foundations :: Set theory :: Descriptive set theory) | | | 03E75 (Mathematical logic and foundations :: Set theory :: Applications of set theory) |
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Pending Errata and Addenda
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