-3 + √(2) - (√(2) - 1) = -2
1 + √(2) - (√(2) - 1) = 2
3 + √(2) - (√(2) - 1) = 4
½ + √(2) - (√(2) - 1) = 1 + ½
√(3) + √(2) - (√(2) - 1) = √(3) + 1
0 + √(2) - (√(2) - 1) = 1
Miss Zero Digit representing the number zero(0) again!
You can also plug an imaginary or complex number into X!
i + √(2) - (√(2) - 1) = 1 + i
-i + √(2) - (√(2) - 1) = 1 - i
(1 + i) + √(2) - (√(2) - 1) = 2 + i
(1 - i) + √(2) - (√(2) - 1) = 2 - i
(-2 + i) + √(2) - (√(2) - 1) = -1 + i
(-2 - i) + √(2) - (√(2) - 1) = -1 - i
What I just noticed with the complex numbers is that if the independent complex number has a plus between the real & imaginary values, then so will the dependent complex number! (The independent one is to the left of the equal sign.) That goes double for a minus!
1 + (√(2) - 1) = √(2)
The binomial in parentheses: (√(2) - 1) is the difference between the square root of 2 & 1. Adding the difference between two numbers to the smaller one will always give you the bigger one as the sum! Surprise!
Back to Index Page Back to Math Trick Menu
© Derek Cumberbatch