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Infinite fractions and the most irrational number

Infinite fractions and the most irrational number

Mathologer
3 HN recommenders · discussed 2019–2026
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About this video

Mathologer uses continued fractions to show why the golden ratio is the most irrational number, comparing it with root 2, e and pi and pointing to where this shows up in nature.

Why it appears in the archive

Recommended as a clear, visual explanation of continued fractions and why phi is hardest to approximate by fractions.

AI-generated summary and labels from the source dataset; verify important details against the video. Source & credits.

From the Hacker News discussion

rrauenza · 2021-10 · rec

I was going to post this Mathologer video ( [VIDEO] ) based on e being "the most irrational number" -- but I misremembered. It's the golden ratio, phi. But its still a really interesting video!

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jerf · 2022-10 · rec

"same with golden ratio (repeating 1s)" Mathologer has a good video in which he uses this to justify calling the golden ratio the "most irrational" number because of this expansion: [VIDEO] The video also goes over the details of the pi expansion.

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uoaei · 2023-08 · rec

Pretty good Mathologer video about continued fractions: [VIDEO] One neat trivium I like to quiz the mathematically-minded on is: what number is the most irrational , i.e., toward which number do rational approximations converge the slowest ? The answer can be determined from continued fractions and is discussed in the video near the end.

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std_throwaway · 2019-08 · reference

The golden ratio is the most irrational number: [VIDEO] This is why it creates some distinctive patterns when applied to circular/spiral shapes.

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AceJohnny2 · 2026-01 · reference

Edit: years of searches and minutes after I post this I found [VIDEO] thanks to using "continued fraction" in my search instead of "infinite series" X( Original: Tangentially, for a few years I've been looking for a Youtube video, I think by Mathologer [1], that explained (geometrically?) how the Golden Ratio was the limit of the continued fraction 1+1/(1+1/(1+1/(...))). Anyone know what I'm talking about? I know Mathologer had a conflict with his editor at one point that may have sown chaos on his channel. [1] [LINK]

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