Talk:Persistence of a number

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I'm dubious about the words 'simplest form,' since I don't see how we can call 9 the 'simplest form' of 2781. How is 9 a form of 2781?! Usually when we say "simplest form" (reducing fractions, simplifying algebraic expressions, etc.), we're making only a cosmetic change. Changing 2781 into 9 is more than cosmetic. Doops 16:49, 30 Apr 2004 (UTC)

Presumably the term persistence can be used in other ways, other than referring to digital roots by addition or multiplication. Let me try and fix that sentence. Dysprosia 00:40, 1 May 2004 (UTC)

Of course, the wording simplest form is too fuzzy; instead, it is a fixed point of the operation, i.e. a number on which the operation yields the same number again. I have majorly rewritten the article to account for that. By the way, I don't think the term persistence of a number is used in mathematics for anything but the additive and multiplicative persistence. Therefore, I think we can get rid of the overly abstract first sentence and just say what additive and multiplicative persistence is. Comments? --Yogi de 22:17, 5 Jun 2005 (UTC)