Questions tagged [irrational-numbers]

Questions about real numbers not expressible as the quotient of two integers. For questions on determining whether a number is irrational, use the (rationality-testing) tag instead.

An irrational number is a real number that cannot be expressed as a quotient of two integers, i.e. cannot be expressed in the form $\dfrac{a}{b}$, with $a,b\in\mathbb{Z}$. We write $\mathbb{I}=\mathbb{R}\setminus\mathbb{Q}$.

Some examples of irrational numbers are $\sqrt{2}, e, \pi$ and $\zeta(3)$.

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Rational numbers

It is a rule that: A rational number can be expressed in $\frac{a}{b}$ form and an irrational number cannot be expressed in such form. It is even said that (in order to promote the $\frac{a}{b}$ form for expressing the rational numbers... that…
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Prove that there is no rational number solution for an equation.

Prove that there is no rational number solution to the equation $x^2-3x+1=0$. (Note, we do not assume that we know all the solutions of $x^2-3x+1=0$ are given by quadratic formula)
mrQWERTY
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recipe for infinitely many irrational numbers - or is it?

What if we write 0. and then throw a coin and depending on the result continue the number with 1 or 0 and continue this process indefinitely. It seems like a recipe for producing irrational numbers. Are these numbers really irrational? Are they…
Adam
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algebraically determining if a number is irrational or not

Is it possible to use an algebraic formula, equation, concept, or principle to determine with perfect accuracy (or high precision, if not perfect) whether or not a number is rational? An example number I have in mind is $\sqrt{937}$.
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Simplify : $\frac{\sqrt{6}}{\sqrt{2} + \sqrt{3}} + \frac{3\sqrt{2}}{\sqrt{6 + \sqrt{3}}} - \frac{4\sqrt{3}}{\sqrt{6 + \sqrt{2}}}$

My exams are approaching fast and this question was in one of the sample papers . I have to simplify $$\frac{\sqrt{6}}{\sqrt{2} + \sqrt{3}} + \frac{3\sqrt{2}}{\sqrt{6 + \sqrt{3}}} - \frac{4\sqrt{3}}{\sqrt{6 + \sqrt{2}}}$$ I am a ninth grader and we…
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Limitations of rational numbers

I have been looking at the popular proofs that rational numbers have limitations when trying to define real-world lengths. For instance, there does not exist a rational $c$ such that $c^2=2$. Basically, proofs focus upon the fact that all square…
Veak
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Does simple proof of the irrationality of $\sqrt{2}$ extend to $\sqrt{n}$, where $n$ is square-free?

This question is about extending a common proof of the irrationality of $\sqrt{2}$ to $\sqrt{p}$ for prime $p$, and then asking which other kinds of number $n$ does the same proof tell us that $\sqrt{n}$ is irrational. case: $\sqrt{2}$ The…
Penelope
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Seeking clarification about another question concerning irrational numbers.

The post A question about decimal representation of irrational numbers. asked: "Is this true that any finite word of the alphabet $\mathcal{A_9}=\{0,1,2, \ldots,8,9\}$ appears somewhere in the decimal representation of $\sqrt{2}$ ?" (A) The given…
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Question about irrational numbers and finite subsequences of their decimal places.

A more general question than in "A question about decimal representation of irrational numbers.": Since there is an infinite amount of irrational numbers could you always find one that contains a given finite decimal sequence?
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decimal expansion formed by concatenating the powers of 13 yields an irrational number

I am trying to prove the real number in $(0,1)$ which has as its decimal expansion $$0.13169219728561⋯$$ obtained by concatenating the powers of $13$ is irrational. This seems harder than the analogous question for powers of $2$. Not sure how to…
student
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Is there a name for the set of irrational numbers that cannot be written with square roots?

3 is an integer. $\frac 13$ is a rational number. $\sqrt 3$ is an irrational number. But what about $\pi$? Or some other irrational infinitely repeating number that cannot be written as a ratio of square roots and rational numbers? I know pi can be…
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If $z$ is a positive irrational, under what conditions will $\sum_{n=0}^{k} z^{n}$ be rational?

If $z$ is a positive irrational number and I have the series $$\sum_{n=0}^{k} z^{n} $$ are there conditions which this will or will not sum to a positive rational? I am having trouble seeing the conditions when the sum could be irrational and when…
thestar
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Why isn't $\sqrt{2} = \frac{\sqrt{2}}{1}$ rational?

Well, I know that $\sqrt{2}$ is an irrational number and I am also familiar with the proof by contradiction method, but I'm confused by this notation as we can divide $\sqrt{2}$ by $1$ (as $\sqrt{2}$ is a real number and for a real number it is…
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Number of irrational coordinates of the circle $x^2+y^2=5$.

It is given in the book by Malcolm Cameron, titled: Mathematics the Truth; that the circle $x^2+y^2=5$ has an infinite number of points with at least one coordinate irrational, but also an infinite number of rational coordinates too. I cannot…
jiten
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How do you define irrational numbers?

I'm trying to do some proof problems that includes irrational numbers. In order to do the proof, I need to do definitions first. Before this, I was doing proof about odd numbers (which can be defined as $2k + 1$, any integer $k$), even numbers…
Niko H
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