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Difference between revisions of "Dirichlet box principle"

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A theorem according to which any sample of <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/d/d032/d032800/d0328001.png" /> sets containing in total more than <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/d/d032/d032800/d0328002.png" /> elements comprises at least one set with at least two elements. Dirichlet's box principle can be formulated in a most popular manner as follows: If <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/d/d032/d032800/d0328003.png" /> "boxes"  contain <img align="absmiddle" border="0" src="https://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/legacyimages/d/d032/d032800/d0328004.png" /> "objects" , then at least one  "box"  contains at least two  "objects" . The principle is frequently used in the theory of Diophantine approximations and in the theory of transcendental numbers to prove that a system of linear inequalities can be solved in integers (cf. [[Dirichlet theorem|Dirichlet theorem]] in the theory of Diophantine approximations).
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A theorem according to which any sample of  $  n $
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sets containing in total more than $  n $
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elements comprises at least one set with at least two elements. Dirichlet's box principle can be formulated in a most popular manner as follows: If  $  n $"
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boxes"  contain  $  n + 1 $"
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objects" , then at least one  "box"  contains at least two  "objects" . The principle is frequently used in the theory of Diophantine approximations and in the theory of transcendental numbers to prove that a system of linear inequalities can be solved in integers (cf. [[Dirichlet theorem|Dirichlet theorem]] in the theory of Diophantine approximations).

Latest revision as of 19:35, 5 June 2020


A theorem according to which any sample of $ n $ sets containing in total more than $ n $ elements comprises at least one set with at least two elements. Dirichlet's box principle can be formulated in a most popular manner as follows: If $ n $" boxes" contain $ n + 1 $" objects" , then at least one "box" contains at least two "objects" . The principle is frequently used in the theory of Diophantine approximations and in the theory of transcendental numbers to prove that a system of linear inequalities can be solved in integers (cf. Dirichlet theorem in the theory of Diophantine approximations).

How to Cite This Entry:
Dirichlet box principle. Encyclopedia of Mathematics. URL: http://encyclopediaofmath.org/index.php?title=Dirichlet_box_principle&oldid=16845
This article was adapted from an original article by V.G. Sprindzhuk (originator), which appeared in Encyclopedia of Mathematics - ISBN 1402006098. See original article