Let and let be any rational numbers such that is non-zero. Show that there are rational numbers such that .
Solution
We need , . This is just a straightforward set of linear equations. Solving, we get: , where .
This would fail if . But if , then multiplying through by a suitable integer we have for some integers . But we can divide by any common factor of to get them without any common factor. But are all even, so must be even. Put . Then , so . But and are all even, so must be even. Put . Then , so , so must be even. So had a common factor 2. Contradiction. So cannot be zero.
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