Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2023 / ii / Paper 1 / 2F / a / Solution

The Liouville approximation theorem states that if $\alpha$ is an irrational algebraic number of degree $d\ge 2$, then there is a constant $c(\alpha )>0$ such that every reduced rational $p/q$ satisfies

Let $P\in \mathbb{Z}[X]$ be the minimal polynomial of $\alpha$, of degree $d$. Since $P$ is irreducible of degree greater than one, $P(p/q)\ne 0$. Moreover,and henceOn the compact interval $I=[\alpha -1,\alpha +1]$, putIf $p/q\in I$, the mean value theorem gives a point $\xi$ between $\alpha$ and $p/q$ such thatThus $|\alpha -p/q|\ge M^{-1}{q}^{-d}$. If $p/q\notin I$, then $|\alpha -p/q|>1\ge q^{-d}$. Taking anyproves the stated strict inequality.

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