Dirichlet approximation theorem Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
For every irrational number and positive integer , there are integers with such thatThe proof applies the pigeonhole principle to the fractional parts of .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2025 iii Paper 130 4 a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Write . Since is not a spherical point set, there are real coefficients , not all zero, such thatIndeed, take a minimal nonspherical subset; its points are affinely dependent, and centering the proper spherical subset shows that the corresponding quadratic sum is nonzero. The three relations are invariant under isometries, and rescaling the lets us assume .
Choose and color every by the intervals of length containing the fractional parts of . This uses finitely many colors. If were a monochromatic isometric copy of , then eachwould lie within of an integer. Their sum is within of an integer, but because it equalsa contradiction. Hence is not a Euclidean Ramsey set.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2026 iii Paper 166 1 a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Consider the fractional partsin . Divide that interval into intervals of length . By the pigeonhole principle, two fractional parts, say those indexed by , lie in the same interval. Thus, for some integer ,Set . Then , and division by gives the Dirichlet approximation theorem