Irrational Diophantine Equation

k 2 3 = m k\sqrt2 - \sqrt3 = m

Do there exist integers k k and m m such that the above equation holds?

You bet! There are infinitely many solutions Yeah, but there are finitely many solutions That's crazy talk, no way any can exist

This section requires Javascript.
You are seeing this because something didn't load right. We suggest you, (a) try refreshing the page, (b) enabling javascript if it is disabled on your browser and, finally, (c) loading the non-javascript version of this page . We're sorry about the hassle.

2 solutions

Brian Moehring
Jul 18, 2018

Suppose there are such integers.

If k = 0 k=0 , then 3 = m -\sqrt{3} = m is an integer, which is absurd. Therefore, we must have k 0 k\neq 0 .

Then squaring both sides of k 2 3 = m k\sqrt{2} - \sqrt{3} = m yields 2 k 2 2 k 6 + 3 = m 2 6 = 2 k 2 + 3 m 2 2 k is rational 2k^2 - 2k\sqrt{6} + 3 = m^2 \implies \sqrt{6} = \frac{2k^2 + 3 - m^2}{2k} \text{ is rational} Since it's known that 6 \sqrt{6} is irrational, this is a contradiction. Therefore, we can conclude no such integers k , m k,m exist.

Naren Bhandari
Jul 26, 2018

We have k 2 3 = m k 2 = m + 3 c c m , k 0 Z k\sqrt 2 - \sqrt 3 = m \implies k\sqrt 2 = m +\sqrt 3\phantom{cc} m ,k\neq 0 \in\mathbb Z Squaring on both sides 2 k 2 = m 2 + 2 m 3 + 3 3 = 2 k 2 m 2 3 2 m 2k^2 = m^2+2m\sqrt 3 + 3\implies \sqrt 3 = \dfrac{ 2k^2 -m^2 -3 }{2m}

3 \sqrt 3 is irrational and to the right of it we have rational number which proves that there exist no such k , m k,m .

The fact that ( 2 + 3 ) -(\sqrt{2} + \sqrt{3}) seems to be an approximation of π -\pi does not prove that it actually is irrational.

Aryaman Maithani - 2 years, 10 months ago

Log in to reply

I have added a line to prove ( 2 + 3 ) -\,(\sqrt 2+\sqrt 3) is irrational.

Naren Bhandari - 2 years, 10 months ago

You made an error in your first step. If you were to use the conjugate, you should have 2 k 2 3 k 2 + 3 = m \frac{2k^2-3}{k\sqrt{2}+\sqrt{3}} = m

Due to this error, you end up proving there are no nonzero integer solutions to k ( 2 3 ) = m k\left(\sqrt{2}-\sqrt{3}\right) = m which is a different problem.

Brian Moehring - 2 years, 10 months ago

Log in to reply

Oh!! My God. I get the problem same as you mention here. In fact, I went to commit mistake since I wrote the solution while I was walking on the street( in rush). Now, I have changed solution which is much similar to your. :)

Thank you !!

Naren Bhandari - 2 years, 10 months ago

0 pending reports

×

Problem Loading...

Note Loading...

Set Loading...