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VI I) V: Classroom

This document discusses two mathematical problems: 1) Determining the value of the "infinite continued square root" of 1 + 2 + √(3 + 4√(5 + ...)). Through iterative reasoning, the document shows that the value of this expression is equal to 1 + x, where x is the input value. 2) The Banach-Tarski paradox, which states that it is possible to dissect a solid sphere into a finite number of pieces that can then be reassembled using rigid motions to form two spheres each with the same volume as the original. However, this is only possible for non-physical objects, as the pieces would have to be infinitely complicated.

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12 views3 pages

VI I) V: Classroom

This document discusses two mathematical problems: 1) Determining the value of the "infinite continued square root" of 1 + 2 + √(3 + 4√(5 + ...)). Through iterative reasoning, the document shows that the value of this expression is equal to 1 + x, where x is the input value. 2) The Banach-Tarski paradox, which states that it is possible to dissect a solid sphere into a finite number of pieces that can then be reassembled using rigid motions to form two spheres each with the same volume as the original. However, this is only possible for non-physical objects, as the pieces would have to be infinitely complicated.

Uploaded by

Sachin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CLASSROOM

Classroom

In this section of Resonance, we invite readers to pose questions likely to be raised


in a classroom situation. We may suggest strategies for dealing with them, or invite
responses, or both. "Classroom" is equally a forum for raising broader issues and
sharing personal experiences and viewpoints on matters related to teaching and
learning science.

Shailesh A Shira Ii, Rishi Valley An Elementary Problem That Interested Ramanu-
School, A.P. jan!

Ramanujan used to contribute problems/ solutions to the


Elementary Problems and Solutions section of the Journal
of the Indian Mathematical Society. The following prob-
lem appeared in JIMS (Q 289, III 90) and Ramanujan con-
tributed a solution JIMS{IV, 226): to determine the value
of the "infinite continued square root"

1 The solution given here is We proceed as follows. 1 For x ~ 0, define f{x) by


different from that given by
Srinivasa Ramanujan and
follows that given by D J
Newman for the same problem,
f(x) = VI + xVI + (x + I)V1 + (x + 2)v'1 + ....
in his book A Problem Seminar. To start with, suppose that x ~ 1. Observe that

f{x) = Jl
+ xf{x + 1)
~ J(1 + x)f{x + 1) ~ ... ~ II~1 {x + i)1/2i .

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CLASSROOM

Using the inequalities x + i ~ 2xi for x, i ~ 1 and


i
IT il/2i < IT2(i-l)/2 = 2, we obtain

00

II(x + i)l/2i ~
i=l

Thus f (x) < 4x for x ~ 1. If 0 < x < 1 then x +1> 1,


leading to f(x + 1) < 4(x + 1), and

f (x) < VI + x (4x + 4) = 1 + 2x < 1 + 4x .


It follows that f(x) ~ 1 + 4x for all x ~ o.
The iterative dance now commences. Suppose that for
some a > 0 we know that f(x) ~ 1 +ax for all x ~ O. Then
f (x + 1) ~ 1 + a + ax, and so

f(x) < VI + x(l + a + ax)


= Vl+(a+l)x+ax 2
a+l
~ 1+--x
2 '

since a ~ (atl)2 .

Thus f(x) ~ 1 +.ax implies f(x) ~ 1 + ~x. Re-


peating this step, and noting that for any a > 0 the se-
quence a, i l2l' i l4l' -8-""
a+7 converges t
0 Iconc
,we lu d e
that f(x) ~ 1 +x for all x ~ O.

Now for the lower bound. Clearly f(x + 1) ~ f(x)


for all x ~ 0, so it follows that f(x) ~ VI
+ xf(x). The

-RE-S-O-N-A-N-CE--I-D-ec-e-m-b-er-1-9-96-----------~-----------------------------~
CLASSROOM

inequality is easily solved to give f{x) ~ (x + vx 2 + 4)/2.


We therefore have,

f{ x) > -
- 2
x
+ g2
1 + -4 >
-
x
1 + -2 for all x >
-
0.

The anchor has been secured and the iteration can begin.
Assume that for some a > 0, we have f{x) ~ 1 + ax for all
x ~ 0. We now have,

f{x) = VI + xf{x + 1)
> VI + x{1 + a + ax) = VI + (I + a)x + ax 2

> 1+ .;ax, since 1 + a ~ 2.;a.


Thus f{x) ~ 1 + ax implies f{x) ~ 1 + JO,x. Repeat-
ing this step, and noting that for any a > 0, the sequence
a, a 1/ 2 , a1/ 4 , a l / 8 , .• . converges to 1, we conclude that
f{x) ~ 1 + x for all x ~ O.

The sandwich has closed with a pleasing finality about


it, and we arrive at the beautiful result: f{x) = 1 + x. In
particular, the answer to the original problem is f (2) = 3.

Corollary: There is precisely one function f : [0, 00) ---+


[0, 00) which increases monotonically with x and for which
f(x) = VI
+ xf(x + 1) for all x ~ 0; namely, the function
f(x) = 1 +x.

Double Tarski belonged to a group of Polish mathematicians who frequented the celebrated
Your Scottish Cafe in Lvov. Another member was Stefan Banach. All sorts of curious ideas came
out of bull sessions in the Scottish Cafe. Among them is a theorem so ridiculous that it is

'fm
Money
almost unbelievable, known as the Banach-Tanski Paradox. It dates from 1924, and states
that it is possible to dissect a solid sphere into six pieces, which can be reassembled, by
,t . rigid motions, to form two solid spheres each the same size as the original.
. ~
I 1~ But what about the volume? It doubles. Surely that's impossible? The trick is that the
pieces are so complicated that they don't have volumes. The total volume can change.
Because the pieces are so complicated, with arbitrarily fine detail, you can't actually carry
out this dissection on a lump of physical maner. A good job too, it would ruin the gold
market.
The Problems of Mathematics, Ian Stewart, Oxford University Press, 1992, pp. 173.

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