Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2022 / ia / Paper 4 / 2D (Numbers and Sets)

LetIf $x$ were rational, thenwould make $\sqrt[3]{6}=(x^3-5)/(3x)$ rational. But if $\sqrt[3]{6}=a/b$ in lowest terms, then $a^3=6b^3$, which is impossible by unique prime factorization: the exponent of $2$ on the two sides is respectively a multiple of three and one more than a multiple of three. Therefore

Use the given convergent seriesSuppose this number were $a/b\in \mathbb{Q}$. Choose $N$ large enough that $b\mid (2N+1)!$. Multiplication by $(2N+1)!$ makes both the rational number and the partial sum through $n=N$ integers. Their differencewould therefore be an integer. It is positive, whilefor sufficiently large $N$, a contradiction. Hence

A transcendental number is a complex number that is not a root of any nonzero polynomial with rational, equivalently integer, coefficients. LetIf $a\ne 0$ and $y$ were an algebraic number, then $e$ would satisfyover the algebraic extension $\mathbb{Q}(y)$. By transitivity of algebraic extensions, $e$ would be algebraic over $\mathbb{Q}$, contradicting its transcendence. If $a=0$, then $b\ne 0$ and $e=b/y$ would again be algebraic. Thus