Proof: One more irrationality proof

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In summary, the statement "There do not exist irrational numbers x and y such that x^y is rational" is false. There is a counterexample of the statement.
  • #1
mattmns
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Proof: One more irrationality proof :)

Ok, for this one I cannot even start the proof because I do not even know what I am trying to prove :mad:

The question states:

Prove of give a counterexample: there do not exist irrational numbers x and y such that x^y is rational.

Ok, let's knock out the counterexample, because I think that there is definitely not one. And now it is a proof, and the statement is an implication. But which way is the implication is what I cannot figure out.

Is it: If x and y are irrational, then x^y is irrational? Or, If x and y are rational, then x^y is rational?

Danke!
 
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  • #2
The statement is not true. Think about logs.
 
  • #3
Ohh, well that makes it so that I do not even have to prove it. Sweet! I will mess around with that. Thanks.

However, what if it were ture. Then how would I write the implication so that I could prove it?
 
  • #4
there do not exist irrational numbers x and y such that x^y is rational.

That says:

It is false that there exists irrational numbers x and y such that x^y is rational.

right? How does negation propagate through quantifiers?



P.S. it's a simple matter to have figured out how to find the counterexample yourself. You were probably limiting your options!

Note that the counterexample consists of three parts:

An irrational number x
An irrational nubmer y
A rational number x^y

You probably tricked yourself into thinking you need to guess irrational x and y, hoping to get a rational x^y.

It's far easier to guess a rational x^y and an irrational x, and hope for an irrational y. :smile:
 
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  • #5
Then it would be: It is true that for all irrational numbers x and y that x^y is irrational. (Which is going to be false because there is a counter example.

So then the implication would be: If x and y are irrational, then x^y is irrational. Correct? Thanks.

So when I am looking for a counterexample I should think about finding a counterexample of the contrapositive too, or break it into parts as you have.

So there are a infinite counterexamples. When you say it the other way around it is easy :smile:

[tex]\pi^{log_{\pi}42} = 42[/tex]

Whenever I get a chance to make things whatever I want, I am supposed to make them cool numbers right? :smile:

Thanks!
 
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  • #6
you proved thatlog of pi in base 42 is irrational did you? seems like oyu're assuming the answer.

anyway, here is *the* counter example.

conjsider sqrt(2), raise it to the power sqrt(2) what do you get? rational or irrational, if it's rational you've got a counter example, and even if not what can you do now to get a coutner example?
 

What is the concept of irrational numbers?

Irrational numbers are numbers that cannot be expressed as a ratio of two integers, meaning they cannot be written as a fraction. These numbers have infinite decimal representations that do not repeat or terminate.

What is the proof for the irrationality of √2?

The proof for the irrationality of √2, also known as the Pythagorean proof, shows that assuming √2 is rational leads to a contradiction. It uses the fact that the square root of any integer is either an integer or irrational, and the fact that the square root of 2 is not an integer to prove that √2 is irrational.

Can irrational numbers be negative?

Yes, irrational numbers can be positive or negative. The term "irrational" refers to the fact that these numbers cannot be expressed as a ratio of integers, not their sign.

What is an example of an irrational number?

An example of an irrational number is π (pi). Its decimal representation is infinite and non-repeating, making it impossible to express as a fraction. Other examples of irrational numbers include √2, √3, and e (Euler's number).

Do all real numbers have irrational components?

No, not all real numbers have irrational components. Rational numbers, which can be expressed as a ratio of two integers, are also considered real numbers. For example, 0.5 is a real number but does not have an irrational component.

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