Is the Square Root of 2 Rational?

In summary, the conversation revolves around proving that the square root of 2 is irrational. The proof involves showing that if a and b are integers and a^2=2b^2, then b must equal 1, which leads to a contradiction. The conversation also touches on the fact that there is no integer whose square is 2, and that this proof demonstrates that only perfect squares have rational square roots. The individual asking for help is having trouble understanding the proof and asks for clarification and further explanation.
  • #1
annoymage
362
0
sorry, I am using phone, owho i hope you can get it.

suppose its rational. in the form a/b gcd(a,b)=1
and so and so and so and then they concluded that a^2=2 is a contradiction.

but i cannot see what it conradict the assumption. help
 
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  • #2
a^2=2 isn't the contradiction. I'm guessing you didn't read the whole proof. Try that and then check back if you still don't get it.
 
  • #3
i'll denote a^2 is a2

then a2=2b2
hence b l a2
if b>1 <skipped> we have contradiction. so b=1. hence a2=2, a contradiction. so squareroot 2 is not rational.

we can't conclude, a2=2, a contradiction right? i can't concentrate on other lecture because this is bothering me. and of course i know how to prove it in other way
 
  • #4
annoymage said:
i'll denote a^2 is a2

then a2=2b2
hence b l a2
if b>1 <skipped> we have contradiction. so b=1. hence a2=2, a contradiction. so squareroot 2 is not rational.

we can't conclude, a2=2, a contradiction right? i can't concentrate on other lecture because this is bothering me. and of course i know how to prove it in other way

Ok, so b | a^2. Now why is b>1 supposed to be a contradiction? Why did you write <skipped>?
 
  • #5
sorry i use phone, now I'm on computer,

so if b>1, then there exist a prime number p such that p l b, so p l a^2, then p l a, hence gcd(a,b)=p>1, a contradiction, so b must be 1. so that prove is inconclusive right?

btw, if you have time, can you response in this https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=424018

thanks ^^
 
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  • #6
annoymage said:
sorry i use phone, now I'm on computer,

so if b>1, then there exist a prime number p such that p l b, so p l a^2, then p l a, hence gcd(a,b)=p>1, a contradiction, so b must be 1. so that prove is inconclusive right?

btw, if you have time, can you response in this https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=424018

thanks ^^

That looks ok to me. Except you should write gcd(a,b)>=p if all you know is that p | a and p | b.
 
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  • #7
so do you mean a^2=2 is a contradiction?
 
  • #8
annoymage said:
so do you mean a^2=2 is a contradiction?

Well, yes. Contrary to what I said in post 2. I wasn't following your proof. a^2=2 is a contradiction because a is an integer and there is no integer whose square is 2. You are basically proving that the only integers who have rational square roots are the perfect squares.
 
  • #9
Dick said:
there is no integer whose square is 2.

thankssss
 

1. What is the definition of an irrational number?

An irrational number is a real number that cannot be expressed as a ratio of two integers. This means that it cannot be written as a simple fraction and has an infinite number of non-repeating digits after the decimal point.

2. How do you prove that the square root of 2 is irrational?

The proof involves assuming that the square root of 2 can be written as a ratio of two integers (a/b), and then showing that this leads to a contradiction. This is known as a proof by contradiction. It can be shown that if a/b is in its simplest form, then a and b must both be even. However, this means that a/b is not in its simplest form, leading to a contradiction. Therefore, the assumption that the square root of 2 is rational must be false, and it is irrational.

3. Can you provide an example of an irrational number?

Yes, the square root of 3, pi, and e are all examples of irrational numbers. These numbers cannot be expressed as a ratio of two integers and have an infinite number of non-repeating digits after the decimal point.

4. Why is it important to prove that the square root of 2 is irrational?

Proving that the square root of 2 is irrational is important because it helps to understand the properties of real numbers. It also has practical applications in fields such as computer science and cryptography.

5. Is it possible to find the exact value of the square root of 2?

No, it is not possible to find the exact value of the square root of 2. It is an irrational number, meaning it has an infinite number of non-repeating digits after the decimal point. Therefore, it can only be approximated to a certain degree of accuracy.

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