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Exercise 122Number theory › IrrationalityOlympiadAdded 3 Nov 2026

Fractional parts of multiples of √2

#fractional parts#density#irrational

Statement

Show that the set {n2 mod 1:n∈N}\{n\sqrt2\bmod1:n\in\mathbb{N}\} is dense in [0,1][0,1].

Hint

Use the pigeonhole principle: for any NN, the fractional parts of 0,2,…,N20,\sqrt2,\ldots,N\sqrt2 are N+1N+1 points in [0,1)[0,1), so two are within 1/N1/N.

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Solution

Pigeonhole. Among {0},{12},…,{N2}\{0\},\{1\sqrt2\},\ldots,\{N\sqrt2\} (which are N+1N+1 points in [0,1)[0,1)), two differ by at most 1/N1/N in fractional part. Say {k2}\{k\sqrt2\} and {ℓ2}\{\ell\sqrt2\} with 0<δ={(ℓ−k)2}<1/N0<\delta=\{(\ell-k)\sqrt2\}<1/N (taking absolute difference).

Density. Since 2\sqrt2 is irrational, δ≠0\delta\neq0, and multiples of δ\delta mod 11 form a δ\delta-dense set in [0,1)[0,1).

Conclusion. For any NN, we get δ<1/N\delta<1/N, so the set is dense.