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104 points nomemory | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0.21s | source
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NameError ◴[] No.42174036[source]
Reminds me of a cool proof I saw recently that there are two numbers a and b such that a and b are both irrational, but a^b is rational:

Take sqrt(2)^sqrt(2), which is either rational or not. If it's rational, we're done. If not, consider sqrt(2) ^ (sqrt(2) ^ sqrt(2)). Since (a^b)^c = a^bc, we get sqrt(2) ^ (sqrt(2))^2 = sqrt(2)^2 = 2, which is rational!

It feels like a bit of a sleight of hand, since we don't actually have to know whether sqrt(2)^sqrt(2) is rational for the proof to work.

replies(3): >>42178040 #>>42190010 #>>42191430 #
1. brianush1 ◴[] No.42190010[source]
pretty sure you have a typo, should be "If not, consider (sqrt(2) ^ sqrt(2)) ^ sqrt(2)."