Exercise 3.2.3

Use the IVT to prove that every positive real number a has a real square root.

Answers

Proof. Suppose that a + .

Let u : defined by x u ( x ) = x 2 a .

Then u is continuous, u is strictly increasing, and

u ( 0 ) = a 0 , lim x u ( x ) = + (so there exists A + such that u ( A ) > 0 ).

By the Intermediate Value Theorem, there exists a unique b + such that b 2 = a , so a has a real square root. □

User profile picture
2022-07-19 00:00
Comments