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Suppose first that a simple continued fraction is eventually periodic. Its periodic tail $\xi$ is fixed by the Möbius transformation represented by the continued-fraction matrix of one full period:ThusThe infinite tail is not rational, since a rational simple continued fraction terminates. Hence $\xi$ is a quadratic irrational, and the finite initial block expresses the original number as another rational Möbius transform of $\xi$. Therefore every eventually periodic simple continued fraction represents a quadratic irrational.

For the purely periodic fraction $x=[7,7,7,\dots ]$,so $x^2-7x-1=0$. Positivity selects

Apply the continued-fraction algorithm to $\sqrt{23}$:The complete quotient then repeats, givingThe convergents through one term before the final $8$ areThe last of these satisfies the Pell equationso a positive solution is

LetAssume for a contradiction that $S=a/b$ is rational. For every $N\ge b$, both $N!S$ andare integers, because the $m_n$ are integers. Their positive differencemust therefore be a positive integer.

On the other hand, concavity of $x^{\alpha }$ for $0\le \alpha <1$ gives $(N+k{)}^{\alpha }\le N^{\alpha }+k^{\alpha }\le N^{\alpha }+k$. Since $(N+1)\cdots (N+k)\ge (N+1{)}^k$,Eventually $0<R_N<1$, contradicting its integrality. Hence

The integrality assumption is essential. For example, take $\alpha =0$, $A=2$, andThen $1<m_n<2$, but the exponential series givesThus the result does not remain true for arbitrary real $m_n$.

For a partition of an interval $P:0=x_0<\cdots <x_m=1$, putThe upper Darboux sum and lower Darboux sum areThe upper and lower integrals areThe bounded function is Riemann integrable when these values agree, and their common value is its Riemann integral.

For the indicator of the rational numbers, every nondegenerate interval contains both a rational number and an irrational number. Hence every upper sum is one and every lower sum is zero. The function is not Riemann integrable.

The Cauchy functional equation first gives $g(0)=0$ and $g(-x)=-g(x)$. If $h\to 0$, then continuity at the given point $z$ givesso $g$ is continuous at zero. For every $x$,so $g$ is continuous everywhere.

Put $c=g(1)$. Additivity gives $g(n)=nc$ for integers $n$ and then $g(m/n)=(m/n)c$ for rational numbers. For any real $x$, choose rationals $q_j\to x$; continuity gives

For the multiplicative equation, $h(0)=h(0{)}^2$. If $h(0)=0$, then $h(x)=h(x)h(0)=0$ for every $x$. Otherwise $h(0)=1$. In that caseand $h(x)$ cannot vanish because $1=h(0)=h(x)h(-x)$. Hence $h$ is everywhere positive. The continuous function $g=\log h$ satisfies the Cauchy functional equation, so $g(x)=cx$. Therefore the complete family is

The first series is telescoping, sinceIts $N$th partial sum is $1-1/(N+1)$, soa rational number.

The second series converges absolutely, for example by the ratio test, and is the odd part of the exponential series:This value is irrational. Indeed, if $a=\sinh 1$ were algebraic, then $e$ would satisfymaking $e$ algebraic over the algebraic numbers and hence algebraic, contrary to the Hermite theorem on the transcendence of e. Thus the second sum is in fact transcendental.

A set is countable if it is finite or admits an injection into the natural numbers; equivalently, its elements can be listed by a finite list or a sequence.

The product of two countable sets is countable: after choosing enumerations, its elements are indexed by pairs $(m,n)\in {\mathbb{N}}^2$, and these pairs can be listed diagonally. Thus an injection $X\to A\times B$ followed by an injection $A\times B\to \mathbb{N}$ proves that $X$ is countable.

The integers are listed as $0,1,-1,2,-2,\dots$, so $\mathbb{Z}$ is countable. Every rational number is represented by a pair $(p,q)\in \mathbb{Z}\times {\mathbb{N}}_{>0}$, so $\mathbb{Q}$ is countable as the image of a countable set.

Finally, if $A_0,A_1,\dots$ are countable, choose listings $A_n=\{a_{n,0},a_{n,1},\dots \}$, allowing repetitions for finite sets. The diagonal listing of the pairs $(n,m)$ lists every $a_{n,m}$, proving that a countable union of countable sets is countable.

LetThe tail satisfiesFor every fixed positive integer $d$, this is smaller than $q_N^{-d}$ for all sufficiently large $N$.

The binary expansion has $1$ digits at factorial positions and arbitrarily long blocks of zeros, but it is neither eventually zero nor eventually periodic. Since a rational number has an eventually periodic binary expansion, $\alpha$ is irrational. If it were an algebraic number of degree $d$, part (b), or equivalently the Liouville approximation theorem, would give a fixed positive multiple of $q^{-d}$ as a lower bound for all rational approximations. The fractions $p_N/q_N$ violate that bound. Thus $\alpha$ is a transcendental number.

Let $\varphi \in Z^2(G,\mathbb{Q})$. Part iii gives $d\psi =|G|\varphi$. Since division by $|G|$ is possible in the rational numbers,is a two-coboundary. HenceThis is a degree-two instance of the vanishing of finite-group cohomology when the group order is invertible on the coefficient module.

Let $f:[a,b]\to \mathbb{R}$ be continuous. If it were unbounded, one could choose $x_n\in [a,b]$ with $|f(x_n)|>n$. The Bolzano-Weierstrass theorem gives a subsequence $x_{n_j}\to x\in [a,b]$, but continuity would then give $f(x_{n_j})\to f(x)$, contradicting unboundedness.

Now let $M=\sup f([a,b])$. Choose $x_n$ with $f(x_n)>M-1/n$. A convergent subsequence and continuity give $f(x)=M$ at its limit. Applying the same argument to $-f$ shows that the infimum is attained. This proves the extreme value theorem on a closed bounded interval.

The functionis continuous and bounded, but attains neither its infimum $0$ nor its supremum $1$. For the second example, enumerate the rationals in $[0,1]$ as $(q_n)$ and setEvery nondegenerate interval contains infinitely many rational numbers, hence some $q_n$ with arbitrarily large $n$; therefore $\psi$ is unbounded on every such interval.

For the running extrema, compactness lets us writeThe function $f$ is uniformly continuous on $[a,b]$. Given $\epsilon >0$, choose $\delta >0$ such that $|f(u)-f(v)|<\epsilon$ whenever $|u-v|<\delta$. If $x<y$ and $y-x<\delta$, every new value $f(\xi )$ with $x\le \xi \le y$ is at most $f(x)+\epsilon \le M(x)+\epsilon$. Since $M(y)\ge M(x)$,Interchanging $x,y$ handles the other order. Applying this argument to $-f$ proves continuity of $m$ as well.

Finally fix $T>0$ and put $h(x)=g(x+T)-g(x)$. For each positive integer $n$, there must be some $x_n>n$ with $|h(x_n)|<1/n$. Otherwise, for some $n$ the continuous function $h$ would satisfy $|h(x)|\ge 1/n$ on the interval $(n,\infty )$. By the intermediate value theorem, $h$ would have a constant sign there. The valueswould then increase or decrease by at least $1/n$ at every step, contradicting boundedness of $g$. Thus $x_n\to \infty$ and

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

The integers are countable under the enumerationPart (i) then shows that $\mathbb{Z}\times \mathbb{N}$ is countable. The mapis a surjection from $\mathbb{Z}\times \mathbb{N}$ onto the rational numbers. Selecting, for example, the representation in lowest terms with positive denominator gives an injection in the other direction. Thus $\mathbb{Q}$ is countable.

Start two registers in $|0⟩|0⟩$. Apply ${\mathrm{QFT}}_N$ to the first and then reversibly evaluate $f$ into the second, obtainingThe evaluation can be implemented by repeated squaring and reversible modular multiplication using a number of elementary arithmetic operations polynomial in $\log N$.

Measure the second register. Because $f$ is injective within one period and $r\mid N$, the first register becomes a uniformly weighted periodic cosetThe quantum Fourier transform of a periodic coset state followed by measurement returnsReduce the rational number $c/N$ to lowest terms. Sinceits denominator is $q=r/\gcd (s,r)$. Test whether $a^q\equiv 1(\mathrm{mod}N)$ by repeated squaring. The promised injectivity means that $r$ is the least positive period, and $q\mid r$, so this congruence holds exactly when $q=r$. The test therefore certifies whether the run succeeded; this is heralded exact quantum period finding when the period divides the register size.

One run succeeds with probabilitybecause success is equivalent to $s$ being coprime to $r$. A standard estimate for the Euler totient function gives $\phi (r)/r\ge C/\log \log r$ for all sufficiently large $r$, with the finitely many smaller cases absorbed by changing the positive constant $C$. Repeating independently $O(\log \log N)$ times therefore makes the probability that every run fails at most $1/2$. Every step, including the repetitions and the classical verification, takes time polynomial in $\log N$.

For a real boundary point $x\ne 0$, the Boundary-point Bessel flow for SLE says that $V_t^x/\sqrt{\kappa }$ is a Bessel process of dimensionWhen $\kappa \le 4$, one has $d\ge 2$, so part 2(b), including its logarithmic $d=2$ case, shows that no fixed boundary point is swallowed.

If the trace touched the real line away from its starting point, or if a later segment crossed an earlier segment, the resulting hull would disconnect from infinity a nonempty real interval, which contains a rational number. Applying the preceding argument after every rational time and using the Conformal Markov property of SLE rules this out on a countable probability-one event. Continuity of the trace then shows that no two distinct times have the same image. Thus ${\mathrm{SLE}}_{\kappa }$ is simple for $0<\kappa \le 4$.

If $q\ne 0$, divide the cubic equation by $q^3$ and define the rational numbersThen every integer anomaly-free assignment supplies a rational solution of

Assume ${\sup }_n\mathbb{E}|M_n|<\infty$. For every pair of rationals $a<b$, Doob upcrossing inequality givesby monotone convergence theorem. Thus every rational interval is upcrossed only finitely often almost surely. If a real sequence has distinct limit inferior and limit superior, it completes infinitely many upcrossings of some rational interval between them. Hence $M_n$ converges in the extended real line almost surely.

Fatou lemma givesso the limit is finite almost surely and integrable. This is the $L^1$-bounded form of the martingale convergence theorem.

A limit point $p$ of $E\subseteq \mathbb{R}$ is a point such that, for every $\epsilon >0$, the punctured neighbourhood $(p-\epsilon ,p+\epsilon )\setminus \{p\}$ meets $E$. A closed set contains all of its limit points.

Every nonempty open interval contains a rational number; applying this to $(p,p+\epsilon )$ shows that every $p\in \mathbb{R}$ is a limit point of $\mathbb{Q}$. Thus the limit points of $\mathbb{Q}$ form $\mathbb{R}$, and $\mathbb{Q}$ is not closed.

If $p\in \mathbb{Z}$, radius $1/2$ excludes all other integers. If $p\notin \mathbb{Z}$, its distances to the two neighbouring integers have a positive minimum, and a smaller radius excludes every integer. Thus $\mathbb{Z}$ has no limit points in $\mathbb{R}$ and is closed.

With $L=1/\sqrt{n^2-1}$, one has $\nu =n$. Since $n\ge 3>\sqrt{3}$, ii proves boundedness. Write the positive rational number $n=p/q$ in lowest terms. The radius and its angular derivative repeat after $\Delta \theta =2\pi /n$. After $p$ such radial oscillations,so both the position and the radial and transverse velocities return to their initial values. The elapsed time iswhich is finite and positive because $r$ is bounded above and below by positive constants. Thus the motion is periodic. The orbit is a closed, generally self-intersecting rosette orbit, with $p$ radial oscillations during $q$ complete revolutions; for integral $n$ it has $n$ evenly spaced lobes around the origin. It never reaches the origin and is not a circular orbit.

Exactly $(T,L)$, $(M,C)$ and $(B,R)$ can be sustained as constant stage game outcomes. Their long-run average payoffs are $(6,6)$, $(4,4)$ and $(0,0)$, respectively. We assume the usual repeated game monitoring convention: both players observe each completed joint action before the next round. The source's colour convention puts the blue lower-left row payoff first and the red upper-right column payoff second.

For necessity, row action $B$ earns $(8,5,0)$ against $(L,C,R)$, so playing it forever guarantees a nonnegative long-run average payoff against every opposing pure strategy. Similarly, column action $R$ earns $(8,5,0)$ against $(T,M,B)$ and guarantees zero or more. Conversely, column action $R$ holds the row player's best possible stage payoff to $0$, and row action $B$ holds the column player's to $0$. Thus each player's minmax payoff is exactly $0$.

Any Nash equilibrium must give both players at least zero, an individually rational payoff in a repeated game. Every off-diagonal cell has a negative payoff for one player: $(T,C)$ and $(T,R)$ hurt row, $(M,L)$ and $(B,L)$ hurt column, $(M,R)$ hurts row and $(B,C)$ hurts column. Repeating any such cell forever therefore permits a profitable unilateral deviation to the zero-guaranteeing action. The three diagonal cells pass this necessary test.

For sufficiency, fix target $a^{\ast }=(T,L)$ or $(M,C)$. Each player's finite-state strategy has initial state $F$ and an absorbing state $P$. In $F$, output the player's component of $a^{\ast }$; remain in $F$ if the completed joint action equals $a^{\ast }$, and otherwise move to $P$. In $P$, row always outputs $B$ and column always outputs $R$, regardless of further observations. These are two-state grim trigger strategies; the separate machines are drawn below. The input is the observed joint action, so after any off-path history the prescribed continuation states agree.

If neither player deviates, the target is repeated forever. If a player first deviates at a finite round $\tau$, the opponent enters $P$ for all later rounds. Against column action $R$, every row action earns at most zero; against row action $B$, every column action earns at most zero. All payoffs are bounded, so the total reward before and at $\tau$, divided by the horizon, tends to zero. The deviator's upper limiting average is therefore at most $0$, below either target payoff $6$ or $4$. This proof tests arbitrary future deviations, not merely a single changed action. It also rules out improvement by deviations whose averages fail to converge, if the criterion is extended by an upper or lower limit.

For target $(B,R)$, one-state machines outputting $B$ and $R$ forever suffice: each is a best response to the other in every round. Their long-run average payoffs are zero and no unilateral deviation can improve them. In fact, the punishment is credible because $(B,R)$ is a stage Nash equilibrium, so the two positive-target constructions are also subgame perfect equilibria under the stated monitoring assumption. The general punishment mechanism is described in ^[ref].

“Outcomes of the stage game” here means a fixed action pair repeated forever. Allowing time sharing also sustains some average payoff vectors that are not stage cells: for example, a deterministic alternating cycle $(T,L),(M,C)$ gives $(5,5)$, with a two-phase finite-state strategy and the same permanent punishment. An off-diagonal cell may occur in a sustainable cycle; the impossibility above concerns its constant repetition, not every appearance on an equilibrium path. With finite-state pure strategies, an undisturbed path is eventually periodic, so its limiting cell frequencies are rational numbers.

For the intended finite representation, put $m=|S|<\infty$. For each $T\subseteq S$, form the mintermA Boolean valuation satisfies ${\chi }_T$ exactly when its selected subset is $T$. Therefore the weighted formula utility representationrepresents $u$ exactly: at the Boolean valuation for $T$, only that minterm contributes, with weight $u(T)$. This proves completeness and the bound of $2^{|S|}$ rules simultaneously. Zero-weight rules may be omitted. The bound counts rules; writing each minterm also requires $O(m)$ symbols in Big O notation.

For the computational question, assume rule weights are rational numbers encoded in binary. This makes exact equality of sums a finite computational task. With this conventional encoding, equivalence of weighted formula utility representations is co-NP-complete.

For membership, the complement has a short witness: a Boolean valuation on the variables occurring in either rule base. Evaluate each propositional formula, sum the weights of satisfied rules, and accept the witness if the sums differ. Propositional formula evaluation takes polynomial time. Exact sums of binary rational numbers also have polynomially bounded bit lengths: the product of their denominators has bit length at most the sum of the input denominator lengths. Thus non-equivalence lies in NP, and equivalence lies in co-NP.

For hardness, take a Boolean satisfiability problem instance $\theta$ and constructThe first utility function is one at satisfying Boolean valuations and zero elsewhere, while the second is always zero. ConsequentlyThe unsatisfiable Boolean formula problem is co-NP-complete, as the complement of the NP-complete Boolean satisfiability problem. The construction is a polynomial-time reduction, proving hardness even with the single weight $1$.

Two qualifications matter in the literal wording. First, unrestricted real weights have no specified finite encoding, so a standard bit-complexity classification needs the encoding assumption above. Second, the problem says only that $S$ is nonempty. If infinite $S$ is allowed while rule bases remain finite, its completeness claim is false. For $S=\mathbb{N}$, take $u(T)=1$ when $T$ is infinite and $u(T)=0$ when $T$ is finite. A finite rule base mentions only a finite subset $F$ of the variables. The Boolean valuations for $\varnothing$ and $\mathbb{N}\setminus F$ agree on all those variables but have different required values. No such rule base represents this $u$. Thus the construction answers the intended finite-set question and identifies the missing hypothesis in the unrestricted statement.

Factorization over the rational numbers givesThe rational roots add nothing to the splitting field. By Eisenstein's criterion at $7$, $x^3-7$ is irreducible. Put $a=\sqrt[3]{7}$ and $\zeta =e^{2\pi i/3}$. Its splitting field is $L=\mathbb{Q}(a,\zeta )$. The real field $\mathbb{Q}(a)$ has degree $3$; the nonreal element $\zeta$ has degree $2$ over it. Thus $[L:\mathbb{Q}]=6$, and its faithful action on the three nonrational roots identifies