7 Views

Prove that root 2 is irrational number


Faizulla Khan 23rd Mar, 2025
Answer (1)
Sarishti bhagi 23rd Mar, 2025

Hi faizulla

A classic proof in mathematics!


To prove that √2 is an irrational number, we'll use a simple yet elegant proof by contradiction.


Assumption:

Let's assume that √2 is a rational number. This means it can be expressed as a fraction of two integers, a and b, where b is non-zero.


√2 = a/b


Squaring Both Sides:

Squaring both sides of the equation gives:


2 = a^2/b^2


Multiplying Both Sides by b^2:

Multiplying both sides by b^2 gives:


2b^2 = a^2


Even and Odd Numbers:

Now, we know that:


- If a number is even, its square is also even.

- If a number is odd, its square is also odd.


Since 2b^2 is even (2 is even), a^2 must also be even. This implies that a is even.


Expressing a as 2k:

Since a is even, we can express it as:


a = 2k


Substituting a = 2k:

Substituting a = 2k into the equation 2b^2 = a^2 gives:


2b^2 = (2k)^2


Simplifying:

Simplifying the equation gives:


2b^2 = 4k^2


Dividing Both Sides by 2:

Dividing both sides by 2 gives:


b^2 = 2k^2


Contradiction:

Now, we have:


b^2 = 2k^2


This implies that b^2 is even, which means b is also even.


Conclusion:

We started with the assumption that √2 is rational, which led us to the conclusion that both a and b are even. However, this creates a contradiction, as we can always divide both a and b by 2, resulting in a smaller fraction that still equals √2.


This contradiction proves that our initial assumption - √2 is rational - is false. Therefore, √2 is an irrational number.


Thanks.

Related Questions

Amity University-Noida B.Tech...
Apply
Among top 100 Universities Globally in the Times Higher Education (THE) Interdisciplinary Science Rankings 2026
Amity University-Noida MBA Ad...
Apply
Ranked among top 10 B-Schools in India by multiple publications | Top Recruiters-Google, MicKinsey, Amazon, BCG & many more.
Narayana Business School MBA/...
Apply
Top 30 Private B-Schools Nationally and Top 3 in Gujarat | Highest CTC- 20 LPA | Average CTC- 8.4 LPA | 40% Pre-Placement Offers | 670+ Recruiters 
Amity University | M.Tech Adm...
Apply
Asia’s only university to be awarded the highest accreditation by WASC, USA and by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), UK
JAGSoM PGDM Admissions 2026
Apply
Highest CTC 51.38 LPA | Median CTC 10.32 LPA | Top 25% Average CTC 14.32 LPA
IFMR Graduate School of Busin...
Apply
Application Deadline 15th Jan’26 | UGC Approved Programs | Near 100% Placement Record | Up to 100% Scholarships | Highest CTC 21.32 LPA
View All Application Forms

Download the Careers360 App on your Android phone

Regular exam updates, QnA, Predictors, College Applications & E-books now on your Mobile

150M+ Students
30,000+ Colleges
500+ Exams
1500+ E-books