Math Is Fun Forum

jackme12

Member

Registered: 2012-12-17

Posts: 6

Prove √5 is irrational...

As the subject says, can anybody prove that route 5 is irrational?

anonimnystefy

Real Member

From: Harlan's World

Registered: 2011-05-23

Posts: 16,049

Re: Prove √5 is irrational...

Let's assume that the opposite is true, that is  that square root 5 is rational. This would mean it can be written in the form p/q, where gcd(p,q)=1.

So:
sqrt(5)=p/q
Then we square both sides:
5=p^2/q^2
5*q^2=p^2
So this means that p must be divisible by 5, and we can write p=5*r and our equation becomes:
5*q^2=25*r^2
q^2=5*r^2,
But this would mean that q is also divisible by 5, and we said that p and q have a gcd of 1! This is a contradiction, so our initial assumption that sqrt(5) is rational is false!

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“Here lies the reader who will never open this book. He is forever dead.
“Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
The knowledge of some things as a function of age is a delta function.

Bob

Administrator

Registered: 2010-06-20

Posts: 10,626

Re: Prove √5 is irrational...

hi Stefy,

He posted again in help and I replied there.

If p^2 is divisible by 5, how do you know that p is also divisible by 5 ?

(I know it is, but I want a justification please.  Otherwise every root is irrational.)

Bob

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Children are not defined by school ...........The Fonz
You cannot teach a man anything;  you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
Sometimes I deliberately make mistakes, just to test you!  …………….Bob

anonimnystefy

Real Member

From: Harlan's World

Registered: 2011-05-23

Posts: 16,049

Re: Prove √5 is irrational...

If p weren't divisible by 5 then neither would be p^2.

---

“Here lies the reader who will never open this book. He is forever dead.
“Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
The knowledge of some things as a function of age is a delta function.

Bob

Administrator

Registered: 2010-06-20

Posts: 10,626

Re: Prove √5 is irrational...

why?

Bob

---

Children are not defined by school ...........The Fonz
You cannot teach a man anything;  you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
Sometimes I deliberately make mistakes, just to test you!  …………….Bob

anonimnystefy

Real Member

From: Harlan's World

Registered: 2011-05-23

Posts: 16,049

Re: Prove √5 is irrational...

This can be shown by assuming that p isn't divisible by 5 and then going through 4 cases p=5k+1,5k+2,5k+3,5k+4 and squaring p in each case to see that the square of p is respectively 1, 4, 4, 1 in each case.

---

“Here lies the reader who will never open this book. He is forever dead.
“Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
The knowledge of some things as a function of age is a delta function.

Bob

Administrator

Registered: 2010-06-20

Posts: 10,626

Re: Prove √5 is irrational...

Ok.  That'll do me.  Thanks.

Bob

---

Children are not defined by school ...........The Fonz
You cannot teach a man anything;  you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
Sometimes I deliberately make mistakes, just to test you!  …………….Bob

anonimnystefy

Real Member

From: Harlan's World

Registered: 2011-05-23

Posts: 16,049

Re: Prove √5 is irrational...

Don't mention it!

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“Here lies the reader who will never open this book. He is forever dead.
“Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
The knowledge of some things as a function of age is a delta function.

jackme12

Member

Registered: 2012-12-17

Posts: 6

Re: Prove √5 is irrational...

Thanks a lot, that is great help. 

Apologies about the confusion with posting in two forums.

Jack

anonimnystefy

Real Member

From: Harlan's World

Registered: 2011-05-23

Posts: 16,049

Re: Prove √5 is irrational...

You're welome!

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“Here lies the reader who will never open this book. He is forever dead.
“Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
The knowledge of some things as a function of age is a delta function.

mathaholic

Member

From: Earth

Registered: 2012-11-29

Posts: 3,251

Re: Prove √5 is irrational...

Jackme12, welcome to the forum. Sorry if I was a bit late in greeting ya. Anyways, I cannot prove yet that route 5 is irrational 'cause I am just too young to learn irrational numbers like those.
Have fun in the forum, Jackme12!

Julian

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