{
  "aliases": null,
  "backlinks": null,
  "body": "\n## Proof\n\n1. Let $x$ and $y$ be real numbers with $x \u003c y$. Then $y - x \u003e 0$.\n2. By the [[Archimedean property|0WH916TJNY]], there is a natural number $n \\ge 1$ with $1/n \u003c y - x$.\n3. Let $k = \\floor{n x}$ be the [[floor|0YVRNEDSVG]] of $n x$, and let $m = k + 1$. Then $m$ is an integer.\n4. By the [[characterization of the floor|0R9B0B5458]], $k \\le n x \u003c k + 1$. That is, $m - 1 \\le n x \u003c m$.\n5. Divide by $n \u003e 0$, which keeps the order in the [[ordered field|0QSPNASE50]] $\\R$. This gives $m/n - 1/n \\le x \u003c m/n$.\n6. So $x \u003c m/n$. Also $m/n \\le x + 1/n \u003c x + (y - x) = y$, by steps 2 and 5.\n7. Let $q = m/n$. It is a [[rational number|0NCJ5WXN6Z]], since $m$ and $n$ are integers and $n \\ne 0$. By step 6, $x \u003c q \u003c y$.\n\n## Idea\n\nChoose a step size $1/n$ smaller than the gap $y - x$. The grid of fractions $m/n$ cannot jump over the gap, so the first grid point to the right of $x$ is still below $y$.\n",
  "commit": "68a8c3dc73fd55004b2796431c607c30960d1a85",
  "front": {
    "kind": "proof",
    "msc": [
      "26A03"
    ],
    "name": "Proof of the density of the rationals",
    "proves": "0STX0WRDNG",
    "sources": [
      {
        "url": "https://proofwiki.org/wiki/Between_two_Real_Numbers_exists_Rational_Number"
      }
    ],
    "tag": "CR6NC0BN36",
    "uses": [
      "0WH916TJNY",
      "0YVRNEDSVG",
      "0R9B0B5458",
      "0NCJ5WXN6Z",
      "0QSPNASE50"
    ]
  },
  "kind": "proof",
  "link": "https://math2.tamnd.com/node/CR6NC0BN36/",
  "links": [
    {
      "field": "proves",
      "target": "0STX0WRDNG"
    },
    {
      "field": "uses",
      "target": "0WH916TJNY"
    },
    {
      "field": "uses",
      "target": "0YVRNEDSVG"
    },
    {
      "field": "uses",
      "target": "0R9B0B5458"
    },
    {
      "field": "uses",
      "target": "0NCJ5WXN6Z"
    },
    {
      "field": "uses",
      "target": "0QSPNASE50"
    }
  ],
  "markdown": "https://math2.tamnd.com/node/CR6NC0BN36.md",
  "msc": [
    "26A03"
  ],
  "name": "Proof of the density of the rationals",
  "prov": null,
  "role": "",
  "source": "https://github.com/tamnd/math2/blob/main/nodes/CR6/CR6NC0BN36.md",
  "status": null,
  "tag": "CR6NC0BN36",
  "uri": "m2://CR6NC0BN36",
  "url": "https://math2.tamnd.com/wiki/proof-of-the-density-of-the-rationals/",
  "writing": {
    "tag": "CR6NC0BN36",
    "kind": "proof",
    "level": "W0",
    "next": [
      {
        "what": "an inventory row",
        "note": "the row of the inventory that the node accounts for",
        "have": 0,
        "want": 1
      },
      {
        "what": "a source with a locator",
        "have": 0,
        "want": 1
      }
    ]
  }
}
