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.
Infinitesimal
See also
Infinite, Infinity, Nonstandard AnalysisExplore with Wolfram|Alpha
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.Referenced on Wolfram|Alpha
InfinitesimalCite this as:
Weisstein, Eric W. "Infinitesimal." From MathWorld--A Wolfram Web Resource. https://mathworld.wolfram.com/Infinitesimal.html