Prove that $\sqrt{8}$ is an irrational number.
As know that $2\lt \sqrt{8} \lt 3$, so if assume (to attempt proof by contradiction) that $\sqrt{8} = \frac pq$, where $p,q$ are coprime integers; then $2\lt \frac pq \lt 3$.
Attempt 1:
Subtracting $2$ from all terms, get : $0\lt \frac {p-2q}q \lt 1$.
This means $p-2q$ is an integer with no common terms with $q$. Also $q$ has no common terms with $p$.
But, $p-2q$ is a linear combination of $p,q$.
Am unable to use any property of linear combination of co-prime integers to directly prove by contradiction. Request help by this approach.
Attempt 2:
$2\lt \frac pq \lt 3 \implies 2q \lt p \lt 3q \implies 0\lt p-2q \lt q$. So, $\frac{p-2q}{q}$ is not an integer value & must be $\lt 1$.
As $\sqrt{8}=\frac pq$ is assumed to be a rational, so its product with $p-2q$ is also rational. But, this product cannot be an integer, as $\frac pq (p-2q)= p.\frac {p-2q}q$.
But $\frac pq(p-2q) = \frac {p^2}{q} -2p = 8q -2p$ which is a linear combination of integers. This contradicts the earlier statement.