Irrational numbers

[ljyoung]

Is the square root of an irrational number also an irrational number?

http://ftalphaville.ft.com/blog/2009/05/12/55765/the-square-root-shaped-recovery/

lj

 

[fearless9]

Quote from ljyoung:

Is the square root of an irrational number also an irrational number?

http://ftalphaville.ft.com/blog/2009/05/12/55765/the-square-root-shaped-recovery/

lj

it would be irrational to think otherwise

regards
f9

 

[annaland]

Actually, I don't think you can take the square root of a number that is always approaching something but never reaches it.

 

[Thunderdog]

Quote from ljyoung:

Is the square root of an irrational number also an irrational number?

http://ftalphaville.ft.com/blog/2009/05/12/55765/the-square-root-shaped-recovery/

lj

Hmm. Let's think it through with a real-life example. I think that the number of people who voted for Bush for a second term was an irrational number. (The first term was decided by the Supreme Court, thereby rendering it moot for our purposes.) Since the square root of the number of people who voted for him would be a smaller number, it would be that much less irrational.

As for any other interpretation, don't get hung up on mathematical labels.

Do be sure to let me know if you have any other such questions. I'm here to help.

 

[ljyoung]

Quote from Thunderdog:

Hmm. Let's think it through with a real-life example. I think that the number of people who voted for Bush for a second term was an irrational number. (The first term was decided by the Supreme Court, thereby rendering it moot for our purposes.) Since the square root of the number of people who voted for him would be a smaller number, it would be that much less irrational.

As for any other interpretation, don't get hung up on mathematical labels.

Do be sure to let me know if you have any other such questions. I'm here to help.

You've caught the play, thunderdog and thanks for providing yet another real life example. I find the crew at FT to have a great sense of humor, not dissimilar from those at "The Economist". It must be a British thing. I'm in agreement with the guy who blogged that we might anticipate a mirror image, the enantiomer if you will, at some point in the future.

lj

 

[ljyoung]

Quote from annaland:

Actually, I don't think you can take the square root of a number that is always approaching something but never reaches it.

I would agree with you annaland. As f9 says, it would be irrational.

lj

 

[oriol88]

Quote from ljyoung:

Is the square root of an irrational number also an irrational number?

http://ftalphaville.ft.com/blog/2009/05/12/55765/the-square-root-shaped-recovery/

lj

yes, is also irrational.

The multiplication of two rational numbers is equal always to a rational number.

(m/n)^2=mm/nn € Q