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arXiv · 2502.17966

Archimede, Theon de Smyrne et $\sqrt3$

Abd Raouf Chouikha
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Abstract

We know that the algorithm of Theon of Smyrna (70-135 AD) made it possible to highlight fine frames of $\sqrt2$ by rationals. However, this same algorithm also applies to $\sqrt3$ and makes it possible to find the famous Archimedes inequalities. An interesting question is whether this very simple iterative method exposed by Theon was not known to the Greeks before him, notably by Archimedes or his contemporaries. Knowing that Theon of Smyrna had already compiled previous works. Note that this algorithm had also made it possible to open a breach towards the Pell-Fermat equations and continued fractions.

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Abd Raouf Chouikha. 2025-02-25. Archimede, Theon de Smyrne et $\sqrt3$. https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.17966

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