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Exercise 1754Number theory › IrrationalityOlympiadAdded 3 Nov 2026

Independence of square roots

#independence#square roots#linear independence

Statement

Show that 1,2,3,61,\sqrt2,\sqrt3,\sqrt6 are linearly independent over Q\mathbb{Q}.

Hint

Suppose a+b2+c3+d6=0a+b\sqrt2+c\sqrt3+d\sqrt6=0 with a,b,c,d∈Qa,b,c,d\in\mathbb{Q}. Isolate 6\sqrt6 and square.

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Solution

Assume. a+b2+c3+d6=0a+b\sqrt2+c\sqrt3+d\sqrt6=0.

Isolate. d6=−(a+b2+c3)d\sqrt6=-(a+b\sqrt2+c\sqrt3).

Square. 6d2=a2+2b2+3c2+2ab2+2ac3+2bc66d^2=a^2+2b^2+3c^2+2ab\sqrt2+2ac\sqrt3+2bc\sqrt6.

Compare. 6\sqrt6 term gives 2bc=02bc=0, i.e. b=0b=0 or c=0c=0. Say b=0b=0. Then a+c3+d6=0a+c\sqrt3+d\sqrt6=0, i.e. a=−3(c+d2)a=-\sqrt3(c+d\sqrt2).

Square again. a2=3(c+d2)2=3(c2+2d2+2cd2)a^2=3(c+d\sqrt2)^2=3(c^2+2d^2+2cd\sqrt2). Since a,c,d∈Qa,c,d\in\mathbb{Q} and 2∉Q\sqrt2\notin\mathbb{Q}, cd=0cd=0.

Case c=0c=0: a+d6=0a+d\sqrt6=0 with a,d∈Qa,d\in\mathbb{Q}, so d=0d=0, a=0a=0.

Case d=0d=0: a+c3=0a+c\sqrt3=0, so c=0c=0, a=0a=0.

Conclusion. All coefficients are zero, so the four numbers are Q\mathbb{Q}-linearly independent.