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The silver ratio is a Pisot number, [5] the next quadratic Pisot number after the golden ratio. By definition of these numbers, the absolute value 2 − 1 {\displaystyle {\sqrt {2}}-1} of the algebraic conjugate is smaller than 1, thus powers of σ {\displaystyle \sigma } generate almost integers and the sequence σ n mod 1 ...
Technically, it should be called the principal square root of 2, to distinguish it from the negative number with the same property. Geometrically, the square root of 2 is the length of a diagonal across a square with sides of one unit of length; this follows from the Pythagorean theorem. It was probably the first number known to be irrational. [1]
Negative denominators are allowed, but are commonly avoided, as every rational number is equal to a fraction with positive denominator. Fractions are written as two integers, the numerator and the denominator, with a dividing bar between them. The fraction m / n represents m parts of a whole divided into n equal parts.