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Let's suppose √2 were a rational number. Then we can write it √2 = a/b where a, b are whole numbers, b not zero. We additionally make it so that this a/b is simplified to the lowest terms, since that can obviously be done with any fraction.
It follows that 2 = a2/b2, or a2 = 2 * b2. So the square of a is an even number since it is two times something. From this we can know that a itself is also an even number. Why? Because it can't be odd; if a itself was odd, then a * a would be odd too. Odd number times odd number is always odd. Check if you don't believe that!
Okay, if a itself is an even number, then a is 2 times some other whole number, or a = 2k where k is this other number. We don't need to know exactly what k is; it won't matter. Soon is coming the contradiction:
If we substitute a = 2k into the original equation 2 = a2/b2, this is what we get:
2 = (2k)2/b2
2 = 4k2/b2
2*b2 = 4k2
b2 = 2k2.
This means b2 is even, from which follows again that b itself is an even number!!!
WHY is that a contradiction? Because we started the whole process saying that a/b is simplified to the lowest terms, and now it turns out that a and b would both be even. So √2 cannot be rational.
12345678901234567890 / 9999998888888777777766666665555553
but they are both still integers. All rational numbers, when expressed in the form of a "decimal" (in any base, not just base ten) will either terminate with a finite number of digits (followed by zeros :-), or will form a repeating pattern.
The converse is also true. Any decimal expression which forms a terminating or repeating pattern can be expressed as a fraction
All numbers which cannot be expressed as fractions, and which therefore must have an infinite series of non-repeating decimal digits, is called irrational.
Pi is not rational precisely because you cannot find any two integers with which you can write a ratio equal to pi.
it is not a root of any polynomial equation with rational
coefficients. (Note that every rational number P/Q, with P and Q
integers, is a root of QX-P = 0)
Let's suppose √2 were a rational number. Then we can write it √2 = a/b where a, b are whole numbers, b not zero. We additionally make it so that this a/b is simplified to the lowest terms, since that can obviously be done with any fraction.
It follows that 2 = a2/b2, or a2 = 2 * b2. So the square of a is an even number since it is two times something. From this we can know that a itself is also an even number. Why? Because it can't be odd; if a itself was odd, then a * a would be odd too. Odd number times odd number is always odd. Check if you don't believe that!
Okay, if a itself is an even number, then a is 2 times some other whole number, or a = 2k where k is this other number. We don't need to know exactly what k is; it won't matter. Soon is coming the contradiction:
If we substitute a = 2k into the original equation 2 = a2/b2, this is what we get:
2 = (2k)2/b2
2 = 4k2/b2
2*b2 = 4k2
b2 = 2k2.
This means b2 is even, from which follows again that b itself is an even number!!!
WHY is that a contradiction? Because we started the whole process saying that a/b is simplified to the lowest terms, and now it turns out that a and b would both be even. So √2 cannot be rational.
However, whether the digits appear with equal frequency is a very tricky question that has yet to be solved definitively.
Still, given how many digits of pi have been calculated so far, I think it is fairly safe to say that we will not be finding any simple pattern to pi.