Ah, but, O Molluscy one, 1 is exactly the same number, mathematically speaking, as 0.9999999999 recurring. I know it seems odd to 'outsiders', but that's how it is.    It's to do with the mathematical definition of equality. Now, I know it might seem that equality is easier to define than 'less than', but it happens that to mathematicians 'less than' is the more important relationship. And equality on numbers is defined like this.

Two numbers are equal if for any number, epsilon, that you care to pick, however small, the difference in the two numbers is less than epsilon.