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Archimedean field

In mathematics, an Archimedean field is an ordered field with the Archimedean property. Ultimately, the eponym is the ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes of Syracuse.

In an ordered field F we can define the absolute value of an element x in F in the usual way by setting |x| = x for nonnegative x and |x| = −x for negative x. Then, an Archimedean field F is one such that for any x in F there exists n in the natural numbers N for which |x| < n.

The real numbers form an Archimedean field. Moreover, it can be proved that any archimedean field is isomorphic (as an ordered field) to a subfield of the real numbers.

Archimedean fields are important in the axiomatic construction of real numbers.

Last updated: 08-24-2005 16:50:59
Last updated: 06-05-2009 13:38:31
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