Exercise 1.3

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Maths
Chapter 1 Real Numbers Ex 1.3

Page 14 

2. Prove that 3 2 5 + is irrational.

Answer :

Let’s assume that 3 + 2√5 is a rational number.

So we can write this number as

3 + 2√5 = a/b

Here a and b are two co prime number and b is not equal to 0

Subtract 3 both sides we get

2√5 = a/b – 3

2√5 = (a-3b)/b

Now divide by 2, we get

√5 = (a-3b)/2b

Here a and b are integer so (a-3b)/2b is a rational number so √5 should be a rational number But √5 is a irrational number so it contradicts.

Hence, 3 + 2√5 is a irrational number.

3. Prove that the following are irrationals : (i) 1/√2 (ii) 7√ 5 (iii) 6 +√2

Answer :

(i) 1/√2

Let us assume 1/√2 is rational.

Then we can find co-prime x and y (y ≠ 0) such that 1/√2 = x/y

Rearranging, we get,

√2 = y/x

Since, x and y are integers, thus, √2 is a rational number, which contradicts the fact that √2 is irrational.

Hence, we can conclude that 1/√2 is irrational.

(ii) 7√5

Let us assume 7√5 is a rational number.

Then we can find co-prime a and b (b ≠ 0) such that 7√5 = x/y

Rearranging, we get,

√5 = x/7y

Since, x and y are integers, thus, √5 is a rational number, which contradicts the fact that √5 is irrational.

Hence, we can conclude that 7√5 is irrational.

(iii) 6 +√2

Let us assume 6 +√2 is a rational number.

Then we can find co-primes x and y (y ≠ 0) such that 6 +√2 = x/y⋅

Rearranging, we get,

√2 = (x/y) – 6

Since, x and y are integers, thus (x/y) – 6 is a rational number and therefore, √2 is rational. This contradicts the fact that √2 is an irrational number.

Hence, we can conclude that 6 +√2 is irrational.