Prove: The following [x]+2 numbers
1,jα−[jα],j=0,1,⋯,[x]
are all in the interval [0,1], and thus by the pigeonhole principle, there must be two numbers whose difference does not exceed ([x]+1)−1. If these two numbers are
j1α−[j1α],j2α−[j2α],0⩽j1<j2⩽[x],
then we take d=j2−j1,c=[j2α]−[j1α] and
a=c/(c,d),b=d/(c,d).
Otherwise, these two numbers must be
1,j1α−[j1α],0⩽j1⩽[x]
In this case, we take d=j1,c=[j1α]+1 and
a=c/(c,d),b=d/(c,d).
It is easy to verify that, in either case, the chosen a,b satisfy equation (10), and
∣α−a/b∣⩽1/(b([x]+1)),
from which it follows that equation (11) holds. Proof complete.