Questions tagged [irrational-numbers]
An irrational number is a real number that cannot be expressed in the form $\frac{n}{m}$ where $n$ and $m$ are integers.
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To prove irrationality, why integrate?
I have been reading David Angell's lovely book, Irrationality and Transcendence in Number Theory, which has given me some fresh insights even with some of the easier proofs. But the book reminds me of ...
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Irrationality of $ \pi e, \pi^{\pi}$ and $e^{\pi^2}$
What is known about irrationality of $\pi e$, $\pi^\pi$ and $e^{\pi^2}$?
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The sequence $a_{n+1}=\left\lceil \frac{-1+\sqrt{5}}{2}a_{n}-a_{n-1} \right\rceil$ is periodic
Let $(a_{n})_{n \ge 1}$ be a sequence of integers such that for all $n \ge 2$:
$0\le a_{n-1}+\frac{1-\sqrt{5}}{2}a_{n}+a_{n+1} <1$.
Prove that the sequence $(a_{n})$ is periodic.
This ...
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Direct proof of irrationality?
There are plenty of simple proofs out there that $\sqrt{2}$ is irrational. But does there exist a proof which is not a proof by contradiction? I.e. which is not of the form:
Suppose $a/b=\sqrt{2}$ ...
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Proving the irrationality of $\pi e$ and $\pi / e$
Rather than relying on the consequences of Schanuel's conjecture, I set about using the same ideas Apery had used to construct integer arguments converging fast enough to show $\zeta(3)$ is irrational ...
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Can we find two positive integers $n$ and $m$ ($n,m>1$) such that $n^\pi = m$? [duplicate]
I came across this apparent random question in some math questions website. At first, I thought it was easy to show that there are no non-trivial integer solutions to this equation, but then I ...
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How to prove that the solution to $x^{x+1}=(x+1)^{x}$ is transcendental?
I was asked by an high school student if there is an algebraic way to find the exact value of the solution to the equation
\begin{equation}\label{eq}
x^{x+1}=(x+1)^x
\end{equation}
Let us define that ...
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Has Apéry's proof of the irrationality of $\zeta(3)$ ever been used to prove the irrationality of other constants?
Apéry's proof of the irrationality of $\zeta(3)$ astounded contemporary mathematicians for its wealth of new ideas and techniques in proving the irrationality of a known constant. It is often the case ...
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Multiplying by irrational numbers in combinatorial problems
This is getting no attention on stackexchange.
Everybody knows that the number of derangements of a set of size $n$ is the nearest integer to $n!/e$.
It had escaped my attention until last week, ...
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Is the Flajolet-Martin constant irrational? Is it transcendental?
Facebook has a new tool to estimate the average path length between you and any other person on Facebook. An interesting aspect of their method is the use of the Flajolet-Martin algorithm.
In the ...
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Question on the irrationality of $e$
I was surprised that the numbers $\pi$, $\ln{(2)}$, $\zeta{(2)}$, and $\zeta{(3)}$ can be shown to be irrational in what seems to be "three-lined proofs" (as identified here on Overflow: Establishing ...
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A "better" rational approximation of pi?
$355/113$ is a good fractional approximation of $\pi$, because we use six digits to produce seven correct digits of $\pi$.
$$\frac{355}{113} = 3.1415929\ldots$$
Let $R$ be the ratio of the number of ...
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Is the integral of $e^{-x^2}$ from $0$ to $1$ known to be irrational?
Is it known whether $$\int_0^1 e^{-x^2} \, dx$$ is irrational? It is well-known that $\int_0^\infty e^{-x^2} \, dx=\frac{\sqrt{\pi}}{2}$ which is irrational, but what about the prior integral? Also, I ...
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Prove that ${\sqrt2}^{\sqrt2}$ is an irrational number without using a theorem
Prove that ${\sqrt2}^{\sqrt2}$ is an irrational number without using the Gelfond–Schneider theorem.
We know that ${\sqrt2}^{\sqrt2}$ is a transcendental number by the Gel'fond-Schneider's theorem. I'...
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Is being rational decidable?
Given a real number uniquely defined by a finite system of equations and inequalities with rational coefficients involving the standard elementary functions only. Is it decidable whether this number ...
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Steinhaus's Easter Egg Problem
The following is the text of Steinhaus's so-called Easter egg problem. According to this article of Roman Duda, this was recorded in the New Scottish Book around Easter 1955 and "Steinhaus offered an ...
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Fractional part power
Does a irrational number $x > 1$ exist such that $\{x^n \} \le \frac{1}{2}$ for
all positive integers $n$ ?
$x=1+ \sqrt 2$ holds for $n$ odd, but not in even
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Is the perimeter of an ellipse with integer axes irrational?
Let $Q$ be an ellipse with integer-length axes $a$ and $b$:
$$ \frac{x^2}{a^2} + \frac{y^2}{b^2} = 1 \;.$$
The perimeter of $Q$ is given by the complete elliptic integral of the 2nd kind, $E(\;)$:
$4 ...
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Picture of Lambert's proof that $\pi$ is irrational?
With a suitably generous notion of "picture proof" or "proof without words" or "geometric proof," there do exist such proofs of the irrationality of square roots and even ...
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Elementary proof of the equidistribution theorem
I'm looking for references to (as many as possible) elementary proofs of the Weyl's equidistribution theorem, i.e., the statement that the sequence $\alpha, 2\alpha, 3\alpha, \ldots \mod 1$ is ...
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Extending Apéry's proof to Catalan's constant?
I've been looking into Apéry's irrationality proof of $\zeta (3)$, and one of the first questions I instantly had, was how did he derive the following continued fraction?
$$\begin{equation*} \zeta (3)=...
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Transcendence of $\Gamma(1/3), \Gamma(1/4)$
This is a re-post from MSE as I did not get even a single comment there.
Wikipedia mentions that the transcendence of $\Gamma(1/3), \Gamma(1/4)$ was proved by G. V. Chudnovsky. Does anyone have a ...
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Is $\sum_{n=1}^\infty\frac{S(n)}{n!}$ an irrational, where $S(n)$ denotes the sum of remainders function?
For each integer $n\geq 1$ we consider the arithmetic function $$S(n)=\sum_{k=1}^n n\text{ mod }k,\tag{1}$$
the sum of remainders function, the arithmetic function A004125 from the OEIS.
Example. We'...
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Convergence of the series $\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{(2+\sin n)^n}{3^n n^a}$ for $a\in(0,1)$
This is inspired by this Math.SE question, for $a=1$.
Borwein, Bailey, and Girgensohn pose in their book ([1,Problem 35]) as an open problem the convergence of the series
$$\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{(2+\...
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Is $e^{{e^{\ \dots\ }}^n}$ ever an integer?
Let $n$ be a positive integer. It is clear that $e^n$ is not integer because $e$ is transcendental (not algebraic).
Now for each positive integer $k$ let $F^k(n)$ denote the $k$-fold composition of $F(...
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"Transcendental tilings": Do they exist?
Let $T$ be a tiling of the plane.
Fix an origin and shoot a ray $r$ from the origin.
Mark off points $p_i$ along $r$ separated by unit distance.
Compute from $r$ a binary number $0 < b(r) < 1$ ...
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On Bailey–Borwein–Plouffe formula for irrational numbers
A BBP-type formula for an irrational number $\alpha$ in the integer base $b\geq 2$ is a formula in the form $\alpha=\Sigma_{k=0}^{\infty}\frac{1}{b^k}\frac{p(k)}{q(k)}$ ($p, q$ are polynomials in ...
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Compilation of strategies to show that some constant is irrational
I'm looking into expanding my knowledge in ways to show that some constant is irrational. I'm gonna give some examples of irrationality proofs, and I'm interested in learning what strategies you guys ...
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Measure of a set of irrational numbers
Let $A$ be a set of all irrational numbers $\rho \in (0, 1)$ represented as a continued fraction $\rho=[a_{1}, a_{2},...,a_{n},...],$ such that $a_{n}\leq \text{const}\cdot n^{\epsilon}$ for some $\...
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Behavior of $\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} (\{n \xi \} - \frac{1}{2})$ for irrational number $\xi$
Consider the series
$$
\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} ( \{ n \xi \} - \frac{1}{2})
$$
where $\{ \}$ denotes the fractional part and $\xi$ is some irrational number. It clearly does not converge but can we show ...
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Lebesgue measure of a set of irrational numbers
Let $I_{\lambda},$ $\lambda>0$ be a subset of all irrational numbers $\rho=[a_{1},a_{2},...,a_{n},...]\in(0,1)$ such that $a_{n}\leq \text{const}\cdot n^{\lambda}.$
Here, $[a_{1},a_{2},...,a_{n},.....
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Is there a straightedge and compass construction of incommensurables in the hyperbolic plane?
In other words, given a segment in the hyperbolic plane is there a straightedge and compass construction of a segment incommensurable with it? In the Euclidean plane one can take the diagonal of the ...
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Does $x_0=1/3$ lead to periodicity in the logistic map $x_{k+1}=4x_k(1-x_k)$?
Does $x_0=1/3$ lead to periodicity in the logistic map $x_{k+1}=4x_k(1-x_k)$?
I believe it does not, but this is equivalent to proving that $(2\pi)^{-1}\arcsin(\sqrt{1/3})$ is irrational. I am ...
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Irrationality measure of arctan(1/3)
I recently came across the concept of the irrationality measure. It really fascinated me and when I was looking for known values $\mu(x)$ for mathematical constants $x$, I also came across this paper: ...
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Why is the Euler-Mascheroni constant not a Liouville number?
Let $\gamma$ be the Euler-Mascheroni constant. Why is $\gamma$ not a Liouville number? Are there any upper bounds for the irrationality measure of $\gamma$ known?
Any pointers to the literature are ...
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Irrationality of generalized continued fractions
An infinite simple continued fraction
$$\frac{1}{b_1 + \frac{1}{b_2 + \frac{1}{b_3+\dots}}} (b_i\in\mathbb Z\setminus\left\{0\right\})$$
is irrational. Now for a generalized continued fraction:
$$\...
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Are we able to estimate the fraction of the domain where $\cos (ax)+2\cos (b x)$ with $\frac ab \notin\mathbb{Q}$ is positive?
We know that the two functions $\{\;\cos (ax),\;2\cos (b x)\;\}$ where $\frac ab \notin \mathbb{Q}$ are independently positive (and negative) over $\frac 12$ of the domain.
Is it possible to estimate ...
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Must a continuous $\varphi:\mathbb R^n\to\mathbb R^n$ with $\mathbb Q^n \subseteq \varphi[\mathbb Q^n]$ be surjective?
Let $\varphi:\mathbb R^n \to \mathbb R^n$ be just some continuous function.
If the image of $\varphi$ happens to contain $\mathbb Q^n$, does it follow that in fact all of $\mathbb R^n$ is contained in ...
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Is there a real valued function whose limit exists only on irrational numbers?
I have been trying to find a function $f : \mathbb R \to \mathbb R$ such that $\lim_{x \to c} f(x)$ exists when $c$ is irrational and the limit doesn't exist when $c$ is rational.
I tried variations ...
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An alternative to continued fraction and applications
This post is inspired by the Numberphile video 2.920050977316, advertising the paper A Prime-Representing Constant by Dylan Fridman, Juli Garbulsky, Bruno Glecer, James Grime and Massi Tron Florentin, ...
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Is there a universal straightedge and compass construction of a segment incommensurable to a given one in the hyperbolic plane?
"Universal" means that the construction steps are independent of the length of the given segment. In the Euclidean plane one can take the diagonal of a square built on it. Without the "universal" the ...
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An asymptotic formula in Apéry's proof of the irrationality of $\zeta(3)$
Let $a_n$ be the Apéry sequence
$$
a_n = \sum_{0\leq k\leq n}\binom{n}{k}^2\binom{n+k}{k}^2.
$$
Reading the 1978 paper Démonstration de l’irrationalité de $\zeta(3)$ (d’après R. Apery) of Cohen, at ...
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Irrationality of Dedekind zeta values
For Riemann's zeta function, one knows that:
$\zeta(2n)$ is irrational (because a rational multiple of $\pi^{2n}$ is)
$\zeta(3)$ is irrational (proved by Apéry)
and a few other results like "there ...
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Upper bounds on the irrationality measure of the arctan of an algebraic number
Let $x$ be an algebraic number. Must $\arctan(x)/\pi$ have finite irrationality measure? Are there any useful upper bounds?
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irrationality of the p-adic exponential
I would like to illustrate my lecture on p-adic numbers with some elementary results.
I proved that the series $e^p=\sum_{n\ge0}\frac{p^n}{n!}$ converges in $\mathbb Q_p$ for every prime $p$.
Now I ...
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Approximating a real by a ratio of primes
Let $x$ and $y$ be positive reals in $(0,1)$ with $x < y$ and $y-x =\epsilon$.
I seek smallest primes $p$ and $q$ such that
$$x \le \frac{p}{q} \le (x+\epsilon) = y \;.$$
Q. What upper bound $u(...
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Can you identify this irrational number?
There is a certain number, say $v$. I can prove it is irrational. That would be more interesting if it is expressible in terms of known values ... zeta functions, Catalan's number, L-functions, etc. ...
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Possible Birkhoff spectra for irrational rotations
Let $\mathbb{T}=\mathbb{R}/\mathbb{Z}$ be the unit circle (think of it as of the interval $[0,1)$ with endpoints identified). Assume that $\alpha$ is irrational and consider the rotation by $\alpha$, ...
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Irrationality of the values of the prime zeta function
Preamble: I asked this question on Math.SE with a bounty of 100, but received no replies. The bounty has now ended, and it was suggested I post this here instead.
Since Apéry we know that $\zeta(3)$, ...
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Conjecture on irrational algebraic numbers
Conjecture:
For every irrational algebraic number $q$ and natural number $b$, the representation of $q$ on base $b$ contains all the digits $[0,\dots,b-1]$.
Questions:
Has this conjecture been ...
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