38
$\begingroup$

Update Edit : Title of this question formerly was "Is there a polynomial relation between $e$ and $\pi$?"

Is there a polynomial relation (with algebraic numbers as coefficients) between $e$ or $\pi$ ? For example does there exists algebraic numbers $a_1,a_2,..,a_n$ s.t. $$a_n e^n + a_{n-1}e^{n-1}+\cdots+a_0e^0 = \pi$$ or $$a_n \pi^n + a_{n-1}\pi^{n-1}+\cdots+a_0\pi^0 = e$$

$\endgroup$
4
  • 15
    $\begingroup$ I believe the answer to this is not known. $\endgroup$
    – Scaramouche
    Jul 31, 2013 at 3:31
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ I'm looking up things, I don't see anything decisive, but it's fair to say that the collection of similar problems that can be resolved is vanishingly small. $\endgroup$
    – Will Jagy
    Jul 31, 2013 at 3:46
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ It's not known for coefficients from $\Bbb{Q}$: isn't this equivalent to coefficients from $\bar{\Bbb{Q}}$? $\endgroup$
    – Kevin Arlin
    Jul 31, 2013 at 3:53
  • 5
    $\begingroup$ According to Wikipedia, this is indeed an open problem en.wikipedia.org/wiki/… $\endgroup$
    – Ben Grossmann
    Jul 31, 2013 at 4:34

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
31
$\begingroup$

According to Wikipedia, this is an open problem (as of $17$ years ago, anyway). A common phrase to describe the question (which will help with searches) is "are $\pi$ and $e$ algebraically independent".

an important related problem is the validity of Schanuel's conjecture.

A related thread from over at MO

$\endgroup$
1
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Feel free to update this answer with more useful/reliable sources. $\endgroup$
    – Ben Grossmann
    Jul 31, 2013 at 4:53

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .