Discussion:
Does anyone recognize this real number?
(too old to reply)
Stush
21 years ago
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2.41421356237... or its reciprocal 0.414213562373

(Last digit might have been rounded.)

Thanks!
Dennis May
21 years ago
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Post by Stush
2.41421356237... or its reciprocal 0.414213562373
(Last digit might have been rounded.)
Thanks!
Looks like sqrt(2)+1 and its reciprocal sqrt(2)-1.
Zdislav V. Kovarik
21 years ago
Permalink
Post by Stush
2.41421356237... or its reciprocal 0.414213562373
(Last digit might have been rounded.)
Thanks!
Call the first number x, then the second number is 1/x,
as you said, and look at x - 1/x. Which positive x will fit the arising
equation?

(Others, I am sure, will do the algebra for you. Oh well..)

Cheers, ZVK(Slavek).
JEMebius
21 years ago
Permalink
x - 1/x = 2 --> x^2 - 2x - 1 = 0 --> x = 1 + sqrt(2) or x = 1 -
sqrt(2); x = 1 + sqrt(2) fits your question.

Please read in any high school algebra textbook how to solve quatratic
equations.

HTH: Johan E. Mebius

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Post by Stush
2.41421356237... or its reciprocal 0.414213562373
(Last digit might have been rounded.)
Thanks!
Oscar Lanzi III
21 years ago
Permalink
The number minus its reciprocal is 2. Thus 1/x = x-2. Clear fractions
and solve for the positive root of the resulting quadratic equation.

--OL
Richard Henry
21 years ago
Permalink
Post by Stush
2.41421356237... or its reciprocal 0.414213562373
(Last digit might have been rounded.)
Thanks!
2+n = 1/n?

I always liked 1+n = 1/n, which is very close to the ratio between miles and
kilometers.
Stush
21 years ago
Permalink
Post by Stush
2.41421356237... or its reciprocal 0.414213562373
(Last digit might have been rounded.)
Thanks!
sqrt(2) + 1 = 2.41421356237...

lim n->infinity P(n+1)/P(n) = sqrt(2) + 1
where P(n) is the nth Pell number.

Though I assume this result is well known.

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