How can an convergent series of rational numbers result in a irrational number?












-2












$begingroup$


In mathematics, nearly all significant irrational numbers can be expressed as a sum of an infinite convergent series, but according to law of addition of rational numbers, adding any to rational numbers can not result in an irrational number.



So, why is this contradiction?










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$endgroup$








  • 4




    $begingroup$
    As long as finite many rational numbers are added, the result must , of course , be rational. But for infinite sums this is no longer true.
    $endgroup$
    – Peter
    Jan 20 at 10:40












  • $begingroup$
    so, is it possible to represent iota(√-1) as a sum of infinite real numbers??
    $endgroup$
    – PranshuKhandal
    Jan 20 at 10:43










  • $begingroup$
    @Peter plz help me out, i forgot to include you
    $endgroup$
    – PranshuKhandal
    Jan 20 at 10:44








  • 2




    $begingroup$
    Even an infinite converging sum of real numbers has a real value. If your number is not real, it cannot be represented that way.
    $endgroup$
    – Peter
    Jan 20 at 10:45








  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Also note that irrationality-proofs are , in general , extremely difficult. The sum $$pi=4-4/3+4/5-4/7pm cdots $$ does not allow an easy proof that $pi$ is irrational. In fact, $pi+e$ is not known , but conjectured to be irrational.
    $endgroup$
    – Peter
    Jan 20 at 10:48
















-2












$begingroup$


In mathematics, nearly all significant irrational numbers can be expressed as a sum of an infinite convergent series, but according to law of addition of rational numbers, adding any to rational numbers can not result in an irrational number.



So, why is this contradiction?










share|cite|improve this question









$endgroup$








  • 4




    $begingroup$
    As long as finite many rational numbers are added, the result must , of course , be rational. But for infinite sums this is no longer true.
    $endgroup$
    – Peter
    Jan 20 at 10:40












  • $begingroup$
    so, is it possible to represent iota(√-1) as a sum of infinite real numbers??
    $endgroup$
    – PranshuKhandal
    Jan 20 at 10:43










  • $begingroup$
    @Peter plz help me out, i forgot to include you
    $endgroup$
    – PranshuKhandal
    Jan 20 at 10:44








  • 2




    $begingroup$
    Even an infinite converging sum of real numbers has a real value. If your number is not real, it cannot be represented that way.
    $endgroup$
    – Peter
    Jan 20 at 10:45








  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Also note that irrationality-proofs are , in general , extremely difficult. The sum $$pi=4-4/3+4/5-4/7pm cdots $$ does not allow an easy proof that $pi$ is irrational. In fact, $pi+e$ is not known , but conjectured to be irrational.
    $endgroup$
    – Peter
    Jan 20 at 10:48














-2












-2








-2





$begingroup$


In mathematics, nearly all significant irrational numbers can be expressed as a sum of an infinite convergent series, but according to law of addition of rational numbers, adding any to rational numbers can not result in an irrational number.



So, why is this contradiction?










share|cite|improve this question









$endgroup$




In mathematics, nearly all significant irrational numbers can be expressed as a sum of an infinite convergent series, but according to law of addition of rational numbers, adding any to rational numbers can not result in an irrational number.



So, why is this contradiction?







sequences-and-series irrational-numbers rational-numbers






share|cite|improve this question













share|cite|improve this question











share|cite|improve this question




share|cite|improve this question










asked Jan 20 at 10:32









PranshuKhandalPranshuKhandal

1348




1348








  • 4




    $begingroup$
    As long as finite many rational numbers are added, the result must , of course , be rational. But for infinite sums this is no longer true.
    $endgroup$
    – Peter
    Jan 20 at 10:40












  • $begingroup$
    so, is it possible to represent iota(√-1) as a sum of infinite real numbers??
    $endgroup$
    – PranshuKhandal
    Jan 20 at 10:43










  • $begingroup$
    @Peter plz help me out, i forgot to include you
    $endgroup$
    – PranshuKhandal
    Jan 20 at 10:44








  • 2




    $begingroup$
    Even an infinite converging sum of real numbers has a real value. If your number is not real, it cannot be represented that way.
    $endgroup$
    – Peter
    Jan 20 at 10:45








  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Also note that irrationality-proofs are , in general , extremely difficult. The sum $$pi=4-4/3+4/5-4/7pm cdots $$ does not allow an easy proof that $pi$ is irrational. In fact, $pi+e$ is not known , but conjectured to be irrational.
    $endgroup$
    – Peter
    Jan 20 at 10:48














  • 4




    $begingroup$
    As long as finite many rational numbers are added, the result must , of course , be rational. But for infinite sums this is no longer true.
    $endgroup$
    – Peter
    Jan 20 at 10:40












  • $begingroup$
    so, is it possible to represent iota(√-1) as a sum of infinite real numbers??
    $endgroup$
    – PranshuKhandal
    Jan 20 at 10:43










  • $begingroup$
    @Peter plz help me out, i forgot to include you
    $endgroup$
    – PranshuKhandal
    Jan 20 at 10:44








  • 2




    $begingroup$
    Even an infinite converging sum of real numbers has a real value. If your number is not real, it cannot be represented that way.
    $endgroup$
    – Peter
    Jan 20 at 10:45








  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Also note that irrationality-proofs are , in general , extremely difficult. The sum $$pi=4-4/3+4/5-4/7pm cdots $$ does not allow an easy proof that $pi$ is irrational. In fact, $pi+e$ is not known , but conjectured to be irrational.
    $endgroup$
    – Peter
    Jan 20 at 10:48








4




4




$begingroup$
As long as finite many rational numbers are added, the result must , of course , be rational. But for infinite sums this is no longer true.
$endgroup$
– Peter
Jan 20 at 10:40






$begingroup$
As long as finite many rational numbers are added, the result must , of course , be rational. But for infinite sums this is no longer true.
$endgroup$
– Peter
Jan 20 at 10:40














$begingroup$
so, is it possible to represent iota(√-1) as a sum of infinite real numbers??
$endgroup$
– PranshuKhandal
Jan 20 at 10:43




$begingroup$
so, is it possible to represent iota(√-1) as a sum of infinite real numbers??
$endgroup$
– PranshuKhandal
Jan 20 at 10:43












$begingroup$
@Peter plz help me out, i forgot to include you
$endgroup$
– PranshuKhandal
Jan 20 at 10:44






$begingroup$
@Peter plz help me out, i forgot to include you
$endgroup$
– PranshuKhandal
Jan 20 at 10:44






2




2




$begingroup$
Even an infinite converging sum of real numbers has a real value. If your number is not real, it cannot be represented that way.
$endgroup$
– Peter
Jan 20 at 10:45






$begingroup$
Even an infinite converging sum of real numbers has a real value. If your number is not real, it cannot be represented that way.
$endgroup$
– Peter
Jan 20 at 10:45






1




1




$begingroup$
Also note that irrationality-proofs are , in general , extremely difficult. The sum $$pi=4-4/3+4/5-4/7pm cdots $$ does not allow an easy proof that $pi$ is irrational. In fact, $pi+e$ is not known , but conjectured to be irrational.
$endgroup$
– Peter
Jan 20 at 10:48




$begingroup$
Also note that irrationality-proofs are , in general , extremely difficult. The sum $$pi=4-4/3+4/5-4/7pm cdots $$ does not allow an easy proof that $pi$ is irrational. In fact, $pi+e$ is not known , but conjectured to be irrational.
$endgroup$
– Peter
Jan 20 at 10:48










1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes


















2












$begingroup$

Adding any two rational numbers results in a rational number. By induction, adding any finite number of rational numbers together results in a rational number.



Adding together infinitely many rational numbers has no such guarantee, in exactly the same way that there is no guarantee that such a sum is finite.






share|cite|improve this answer









$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    so, is it possible to represent iota(√-1) as a sum of infinite real numbers??
    $endgroup$
    – PranshuKhandal
    Jan 20 at 10:43










  • $begingroup$
    thnx @Arthur for help
    $endgroup$
    – PranshuKhandal
    Jan 20 at 10:48










  • $begingroup$
    No, that isn't possible. An infinite sum of real numbers which converges is guaranteed to be real.
    $endgroup$
    – Arthur
    Jan 20 at 10:56











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1 Answer
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active

oldest

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1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes









2












$begingroup$

Adding any two rational numbers results in a rational number. By induction, adding any finite number of rational numbers together results in a rational number.



Adding together infinitely many rational numbers has no such guarantee, in exactly the same way that there is no guarantee that such a sum is finite.






share|cite|improve this answer









$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    so, is it possible to represent iota(√-1) as a sum of infinite real numbers??
    $endgroup$
    – PranshuKhandal
    Jan 20 at 10:43










  • $begingroup$
    thnx @Arthur for help
    $endgroup$
    – PranshuKhandal
    Jan 20 at 10:48










  • $begingroup$
    No, that isn't possible. An infinite sum of real numbers which converges is guaranteed to be real.
    $endgroup$
    – Arthur
    Jan 20 at 10:56
















2












$begingroup$

Adding any two rational numbers results in a rational number. By induction, adding any finite number of rational numbers together results in a rational number.



Adding together infinitely many rational numbers has no such guarantee, in exactly the same way that there is no guarantee that such a sum is finite.






share|cite|improve this answer









$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    so, is it possible to represent iota(√-1) as a sum of infinite real numbers??
    $endgroup$
    – PranshuKhandal
    Jan 20 at 10:43










  • $begingroup$
    thnx @Arthur for help
    $endgroup$
    – PranshuKhandal
    Jan 20 at 10:48










  • $begingroup$
    No, that isn't possible. An infinite sum of real numbers which converges is guaranteed to be real.
    $endgroup$
    – Arthur
    Jan 20 at 10:56














2












2








2





$begingroup$

Adding any two rational numbers results in a rational number. By induction, adding any finite number of rational numbers together results in a rational number.



Adding together infinitely many rational numbers has no such guarantee, in exactly the same way that there is no guarantee that such a sum is finite.






share|cite|improve this answer









$endgroup$



Adding any two rational numbers results in a rational number. By induction, adding any finite number of rational numbers together results in a rational number.



Adding together infinitely many rational numbers has no such guarantee, in exactly the same way that there is no guarantee that such a sum is finite.







share|cite|improve this answer












share|cite|improve this answer



share|cite|improve this answer










answered Jan 20 at 10:37









ArthurArthur

116k7116199




116k7116199












  • $begingroup$
    so, is it possible to represent iota(√-1) as a sum of infinite real numbers??
    $endgroup$
    – PranshuKhandal
    Jan 20 at 10:43










  • $begingroup$
    thnx @Arthur for help
    $endgroup$
    – PranshuKhandal
    Jan 20 at 10:48










  • $begingroup$
    No, that isn't possible. An infinite sum of real numbers which converges is guaranteed to be real.
    $endgroup$
    – Arthur
    Jan 20 at 10:56


















  • $begingroup$
    so, is it possible to represent iota(√-1) as a sum of infinite real numbers??
    $endgroup$
    – PranshuKhandal
    Jan 20 at 10:43










  • $begingroup$
    thnx @Arthur for help
    $endgroup$
    – PranshuKhandal
    Jan 20 at 10:48










  • $begingroup$
    No, that isn't possible. An infinite sum of real numbers which converges is guaranteed to be real.
    $endgroup$
    – Arthur
    Jan 20 at 10:56
















$begingroup$
so, is it possible to represent iota(√-1) as a sum of infinite real numbers??
$endgroup$
– PranshuKhandal
Jan 20 at 10:43




$begingroup$
so, is it possible to represent iota(√-1) as a sum of infinite real numbers??
$endgroup$
– PranshuKhandal
Jan 20 at 10:43












$begingroup$
thnx @Arthur for help
$endgroup$
– PranshuKhandal
Jan 20 at 10:48




$begingroup$
thnx @Arthur for help
$endgroup$
– PranshuKhandal
Jan 20 at 10:48












$begingroup$
No, that isn't possible. An infinite sum of real numbers which converges is guaranteed to be real.
$endgroup$
– Arthur
Jan 20 at 10:56




$begingroup$
No, that isn't possible. An infinite sum of real numbers which converges is guaranteed to be real.
$endgroup$
– Arthur
Jan 20 at 10:56


















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