Predictably Irrational fairy tale." Predictably Irrational Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions is a 2008 book by Dan Ariely, in which he challenges readers' assumptions about making decisions based on rational thought. Ariely explains, "My goal, by the end of this book, is to help you fundamentally rethink what makes you and the people around you tick. I hope to lead you there by presenting a wide range of scientific experiments, findings, and anecdotes that are in many cases quite amusing. Once you see how systematic certain mistakes are—how we repeat them again and again—I think you will begin
Proof that e is irrational 1. For all terms with we have the upper estimate This inequality is strict for every "n" ≥ "b" + 2. Changing the index of summation to "k" = "n" – "b" and using the formula for the infinite geometric series, we obtain Since there is no integer strictly between 0 and 1, we have reached a contradiction, and so "e" must be irrational. Q.E.D. Another proof can be obtained from the previous one by noting that and this inequality is equivalent to the assertion that "bx" < 1. This is impossible, of course, since "b" and "x" are natural