Proof. The set S = {y ∈ ℝ : y ≥ 0, y² ≤ 2} holds 1, so it is non-empty; and 2 bounds it above — a member s > 2 would satisfy s² > 4 > 2 by the order-preservation of squares, against s² ≤ 2. By the Supremum Property 6.4 the number x = sup S exists, and x ≥ 1 > 0 because 1 ∈ S.
開局三驗,全是例行核對:非空——1² = 1 ≤ 2,1 在籍;上有界——誰若超過 2,平方保序讓它的平方超過 4,資格立即取消;於是完備性 6.4 交出 x = sup S,而右測之前先白撿一件:x 至少是 1(成員 1 壓底),所以 x 嚴格正——待會兩次除以 x 的資格在此備好。
Suppose first x² < 2. Corollary 6.7(b) supplies n ∈ ℕ with 1/n < (2 − x²)/(2x + 1). Then, since 1/n² ≤ 1/n, (x + 1/n)² = x² + 2x/n + 1/n² ≤ x² + (2x + 1)/n < x² + (2 − x²) = 2, so x + 1/n belongs to S — yet it exceeds x = sup S. Impossible.
Next suppose x² > 2. Corollary 6.7(b) now supplies m ∈ ℕ with 1/m < (x² − 2)/(2x). Since x − 1/m < x = sup S, test (ii) of Lemma 6.3 yields a member s₀ ∈ S with x − 1/m < s₀. But x − 1/m is strictly positive — indeed 1/m < (x² − 2)/(2x) < x — so squares preserve the comparison: s₀² > (x − 1/m)² = x² − 2x/m + 1/m² > x² − 2x/m > x² − (x² − 2) = 2, contradicting s₀² ≤ 2.
加映一場:同一套雙測夾擠稍加修改,可證每個 a ≥ 0 都有唯一的 b ≥ 0 使 b² = a——記 b = √a。唯一性是白撿的:0 ≤ b₁ < b₂ 時平方保序給 b₁² < b₂²,兩個不同的非負數平方不可能撞出同一個 a。順帶一提規模:§3 數過ℚ 是 countable 而 ℝ 不是——無理數不但存在,還比有理數「多得多」。
無理數也能任意小(6.9)
6.9 COROLLARY
Let ξ > 0 be irrational and let z > 0. Then some natural number m makes the number ξ/m irrational with 0 < ξ/m < z.
拿任何一個正無理數 ξ 除以夠大的自然數,商仍是無理數,而且可以擠進 0 與任何正門檻 z 之間——「任意小」不是有理數的專利,6.7(b) 的 1/n 有無理數同款。
正例:ξ = √2、z = 0.01——取 m = 142,√2/142 ≈ 0.00996,無理又夠小。反例:ξ/m 的無理身分靠 m 是(非零)有理數——換成除以 √2 就破功:√2/√2 = 1 是有理數。
PROOF
兩步:Archimedean 挑 m,再驗商的無理身分(這一步常被略過,此處補齊)。
Proof. Since ξ > 0 and z > 0, the ratio ξ/z is strictly positive, and the Archimedean Property yields m ∈ ℕ with ξ/z < m. Multiplying this by the strictly positive number z/m — 5.6(c) keeps the direction — gives ξ/m < z; and ξ/m > 0 because both ξ and 1/m are strictly positive. Were ξ/m rational, then — because the rationals form a field and m is rational — the product m · (ξ/m) = ξ would be rational, against hypothesis.
Let x and y be real numbers with x < y. (a) Some rational number r satisfies x < r < y. (b) For any irrational ξ > 0, some rational s makes the irrational number sξ satisfy x < sξ < y.
證明計畫 · 由所求想起
要證:(x, y) 內有有理數。
⇢ 選格距:用 6.7(b) 挑 1/m 比區間長度 y − x 還細。
⇢ 鋪格線:0, 1/m, 2/m, ⋯,用良序性挑出第一根越過 x 的格線 n/m。
⇢ 驗收:第一根越過 x 的格線,還來不及越過 y——格距比區間短,跨不過整個區間。
(b) 的路線一行:除以 ξ 換座標,引用 (a) 撿一個非零的有理數(範圍含 0 就先縮到一側),再乘回來。
Proof. We may assume 0 ≤ x. (a) Since y − x > 0, Corollary 6.7(b) provides m ∈ ℕ with 1/m < y − x. By Corollary 6.7(a) some natural number k satisfies k/m > x; let n be the least such — the Well-Ordering Property of ℕ picks it — so that (n − 1)/m ≤ x < n/m.
先交代 (a) 的「不失一般性」怎麼買:若 x < 0,用 Archimedean 挑自然數 N > −x,整個區間平移成 (x + N, y + N),落在正側;在那裡找到的有理數減回 N 仍是有理數(ℚ 是 field),照樣夾在 x 與 y 之間。注意這招只替 (a) 服務——(b) 要的無理數帶著 sξ 的指定形式,平移會破壞它(sξ − N 寫不回「有理數乘 ξ」),所以 (b) 另有走法。格線法開工:格距由 6.7(b) 挑得比區間長度細;「第一根越過 x 的格線」由 6.7(a)(有格線越過)加良序性(有第一根)合力選出,於是 x 被相鄰兩根格線夾住——n = 1 的邊界情形也對:(n − 1)/m = 0 ≤ x 正是搬到正側買來的保障。數字對照:x = 0.31、y = 0.35——格距 1/26 ≈ 0.038,第一根越過 0.31 的格線是 9/26。
We must also have n/m < y: otherwise n/m ≥ y, and combining with (n − 1)/m ≤ x would give y − x ≤ n/m − (n − 1)/m = 1/m — against the choice of m. Therefore x < n/m < y, and r = n/m is the desired rational.
收尾的驗算就一筆帳:格線若一步跨過整個區間——左腳 (n−1)/m 還在 x 這側、右腳 n/m 已越過 y——那步幅 1/m 就至少是區間長度 y − x,與當初「格距更細」的挑法對撞。所以第一根越過 x 的格線必停在區間內。數字對照收官:0.31 < 9/26 ≈ 0.3462 < 0.35 ✓。
(b) Let x < y be arbitrary. Dividing by the strictly positive ξ preserves order, so x/ξ < y/ξ. We pick a non-zero rational s strictly between x/ξ and y/ξ. When 0 lies outside this interval, part (a) already provides such an s: from 0 ≤ x/ξ follows s > x/ξ ≥ 0, and from y/ξ ≤ 0 follows s < y/ξ ≤ 0 — non-zero either way. When instead x/ξ < 0 < y/ξ, apply part (a) to the smaller interval (0, y/ξ): the rational s it yields satisfies x/ξ < 0 < s < y/ξ and is strictly positive. Multiplying back by ξ gives x < sξ < y in every case. Finally sξ is irrational: were it rational, then ξ = (sξ) · (1/s) — a rational times a rational — would be rational, against hypothesis.