dedekind cut

from http://mymathforum.com/real-analysis/149031-dedekind-cut-s2.html

A Dedekind cut is two sets of rational numbers with a real number "in between" (it may be a member of the set 

B B  if the real number is also rational.

There are three conditions for a partition of the rationals into two sets to be a Dedekind Cut:

1. Both  A A and  B B are non-empty;
2. Every member of  A A is less than every member of  B B; and
3. The set  A A contains no greatest element. In this case that means that given  a∈A a∈A there exists  a′∈Q a′∈Q such that  a<a′ a<a′ and  a′2<2 a′2<2.

If these conditions are satisfied, the partition is a Dedekind Cut. And we can use Dedekind cuts to define the reals.

If  B B  contains a least element, the cut corresponds to that rational number. i.e. the rational number is a member of the real numbers.
If  B B  does not contain a least element, then the cut defines a unique irrational number that "separates" the two sets. In this case the irrational number is  b′∉B b′∉B  such that  b′2=2 b′2=2  or  b′=2√ b′=2 .

Thus, a proof that  b′=2√ b′=2  is irrational might (in theory) consist of a proof that  b′∉B b′∉B . In practice we have to prove that  b′ b′  is irrational in order to show that it isn't in  B B .