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by Koshkin 758 days ago
True - for (relatively) small numbers. For large (huge) numbers estimation is usually considered to be equivalent to counting, and the result is sometimes represented using the "scientific" notation (i.e. "floating-point") rather than as an integer. For example, the mole is an integer whose value is only known approximately (and no one cares about the exact value anyway).
2 comments

As of May 2019, the mole has an exact value, and Carbon-12's molar mass is the empirically-determined value.
This doesn't justify estimation to be equivalent to counting even if some mathematicians consider them to be the same. Floating points are for estimation. Integers are for counting. The two are not the same, not even for large numbers.
"Equivalent" and "the same" are sometimes equivalent. (Or the same.)

It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is.

https://libquotes.com/bill-clinton/quote/lby0h7o