What is the most unusual proof you know that √2 is irrational?
Here is my favorite:
Theorem: √2 is irrational.
Proof:
32−2⋅22=1.
(That's it)
That is a corollary of
this result:
Theorem:
If n is a positive integer
and there are positive integers
x and y such that
x2−ny2=1,
then
√n is irrational.
The proof is in two parts,
each of which
has a one line proof.
Part 1:
Lemma: If
x2−ny2=1,
then there are arbitrarily large integers
u and v such that
u2−nv2=1.
Proof of part 1:
Apply the identity
(x2+ny2)2−n(2xy)2=(x2−ny2)2
as many times as needed.
Part 2:
Lemma: If
x2−ny2=1
and
√n=ab
then
x<b.
Proof of part 2:
1=x2−ny2=x2−a2b2y2=x2b2−y2a2b2
or
b2=x2b2−y2a2=(xb−ya)(xb+ya)≥xb+ya>xb
so
x<b.
These two parts
are contradictory,
so
√n
must be irrational.
Two things to note about
this proof.
First,
this does not need
Lagrange's theorem
that for every
non-square positive integer n
there are
positive integers x and y
such that
x2−ny2=1.
Second,
the key property of
positive integers needed
is that
if n>0
then
n≥1.
Answer
Suppose that √2=a/b, with a,b positive integers. Meaning a=b√2. Consider A={m∈Z∣m>0 and m√2∈Z}.
Well, A≠∅, because b∈A. By the well-ordering principle, A has a least element, s. And s,s√2∈Z>0. Then consider the integer: r=s√2−s.
We have r=s(√2−1)<s, and r>0. But r√2=2s−s√2 is again an integer. Hence r∈A and r<s, contradiction.
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