MENU

Fun & Interesting

Sqrt(2) is irrational, proved by geometry and INFINITE DESCENT!

Tedszy Mathematics 743 4 weeks ago
Video Not Working? Fix It Now

Geometry and Infinite Descent provide a fantastical proof of the irrationality of sqrt(2) without appealing to the fundamental theorem of arithmetic. IMO, this proof is the best and clearest example of Pierre de Fermat's brilliant Infinite Descent idea. It also sheds a different kind of light on the "irrationality" of the square root of 2.

Comment