The matrix recurrence gives and . Successive continued fraction convergents bracket , hence
The infinite continued fraction is irrational: if were rational, a distinct convergent would be at distance at least , contradicting the first bound once . If were rational, this irrational would have degree two. The Liouville approximation theorem would then give . Comparing with the displayed bound would force for every , contrary to the unbounded coefficients. Thus is irrational, by the unbounded continued-fraction coefficients exclude quadratic irrationality argument.