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Since the reals are uncountable, rationals countable and rationals + irrationals = reals, it follows that the irrational numbers are uncountable. I think I've found a "disproof" of this fact, and I can't see the error.

Since $Q$ is countable, list $q_1, q_2, \dots$ such that $q_i < q_{i+1}$. I want to show that between $q_i$ and $q_{i+1}$ there is exactly one irrational number; this will give us a bijection and prove the irrationals countable.

Since the irrationals are dense, it follows that there is at least one irrational number in $\left(q_i,q_{i+1}\right)$. Suppose there was more than one in this range, e.g. $x$ and $y$. Since $(x,y)$ is an open subset of $R$ and the rationals are dense, there must be some rational $q_c$ in this interval. But that means $q_i, which contradicts our ordering. So there must be exactly one irrational in this range. QED.

Where is the problem? The only thing I can think of is that the rationals can be put into a sequence, but cannot be put into an increasing sequence, which seems odd.

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    Something else to consider that may be enlightening: For each positive integer, there is a unique Roman numeral. For example, $100\mapsto C, 49\mapsto XLIX, 9876\mapsto MMMMMMMMMDCCCLXXVI$. Consider the set of positive integers ordered by *alphabetical order of their roman numerals*. This ordering begins with 100, 200, 300, 301… ($C, CC, CCC, CCCI\ldots$) and ends with 38 ($XXXVIII$). But it is infinite in the middle.2012-08-20

2 Answers 2

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Your final statement is correct: the rationals can be listed, but not using the usual order. To convince yourself, just remember that between any two distinct rationals there are an infinite number of rationals (and irrationals).

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    @Xodarap Just because it's impossible to write the entire sequence doesn't mean it's impossible to *define* what a given entry will be, given the index of that entry.2012-08-20
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The assumption that you can list $\mathbb Q$ such that $q_1 < q_2 < \ldots$ is not true. You can prove that it is impossible to have this ordering with the argument you made.