It is trivial to show that the set of irrational numbers is not closed under addition. Just choose an irrational number $p$ and add it to its additive inverse $-p$ to get $0\in\mathbb{Q}$. However, I have yet to see a (non-trivial) example of a rational sum $(p + q) \in \mathbb{Q}$ of two irrational numbers $p$ and $q$ where $q \ne -p$. Can anyone provide such an example, or is this not possible? A similar question might be whether the set of positive irrational numbers is closed under addition.
2026-03-30 09:51:40.1774864300
On
Are there any non-trivial counterexamples to the non-closure of the irrational numbers over addition?
392 Views Asked by Bumbble Comm https://math.techqa.club/user/bumbble-comm/detail At
2
There are 2 best solutions below
0
On
$$ \underbrace{{}\quad\pi\quad{}}_{\text{an irrational number}} + \underbrace{\Big( 10-\pi\Big)}_{\text{an irrational number}} \text{is rational.} $$
Any time you have $x$ and $y$ both positive irrational numbers and $x+y=r$ rational, then clearly you have $y = r-x$, so necessarily your pair is $x$ and $r-x$.
In base 2:
$$ x=0.1\,0\,1\,00\,1\,000\,1\,00001\underbrace{00000}_5\,1\,\underbrace{000000}_6\, 1\underbrace{0000000}_7\, 1\ldots\ldots\ldots $$ $$ y=0.0\,1\,0\,11\,0\,111\,0\,1111\,0\,\underbrace{11111}_5\,0\,\underbrace{111111}_6\,0\,\underbrace{1111111}_7\,0\,\ldots\ldots\ldots $$
$x+y$ is rational.