Encyclopedia Cost Cost Trace Rational Exponent

ARTICLE 6 claims 6 theorems

Cost Trace Rational Exponent

A rational trace on a cost function forces the exponent to be an integer, ruling out fractional scaling in the framework's gauge classification.

The rational exponent result

In Recognition Science, a cost (the forced price of a recognition event) is built from a scaling exponent. The question is which exponents are possible. The module TraceRationalExponent answers one sharp piece: if the exponent is rational and the cost's trace is rational, the exponent must be an integer. The trace here is the sum of a value and its reciprocal, a standard combination in the framework's arithmetic.

The proof starts with a simple impossibility. No rational number squares to five, because a square has even five-adic valuation and five has valuation one. From that, the module shows no rational number r satisfies r + r⁻¹ = 3. This matters because the golden ratio squared, (3 + √5)/2, has trace exactly three. A cost at ratio two can have the perfectly rational value 1/2, yet no rational character (a rational-valued solution to the trace equation) exists at that point. Asking for one asks for something that does not exist.

The arithmetic core then shows why a rational trace is so restrictive. For any real u above one with rational trace, every positive power of u can be written as a + b(u - u⁻¹) with a and b strictly positive rationals. The positivity of b is the key: it means the irrational part can never cancel. So if any positive power of u is rational, then u itself must be rational. A genuinely quadratic unit can never have a rational power.

Applied to the exponent c, this gives the main theorem. If c is a positive rational and the trace 2^c + 2^(-c) is rational, then c has denominator one, meaning c is an integer. The module states this as int_of_rat_exponent_of_trace_rat. It never assumes 2^c itself is rational, only its trace, which is exactly the weakening the earlier impossibility result shows to be necessary.

The full exponent step combines this arithmetic with the six exponentials theorem, which rules out irrational c. That theorem is not in the ambient library, so it enters as an explicit hypothesis. Given that input, a positive real exponent whose traces at bases two, three, and five are rational is a positive integer. The module proves this as exponent_is_positive_integer. Both parities of integers are inhabited, so the result does not restrict to odd exponents.

What this establishes in plain language: fractional scaling exponents cannot arise in the framework's gauge classification. A rational exponent with rational trace collapses to an integer. The irrational case is handled by a separate, imported theorem. The arithmetic half is fully proved here; the analytic half is attributed to Howe.

THEOREM no_rational_sqrt_five · IndisputableMonolith/Cost/TraceRationalExponent.lean
/-- No rational number squares to five. Proved by counting the five-adic valuation:
a square has even valuation and five has valuation one. -/
theorem no_rational_sqrt_five : ¬ ∃ s : ℚ, s ^ 2 = 5 := by
  haveI : Fact (Nat.Prime 5) := ⟨by norm_num⟩
  rintro ⟨s, hs⟩
  have hs0 : s ≠ 0 := by
    intro h
    rw [h] at hs
    norm_num at hs
  have h1 : padicValRat 5 (s ^ 2) = (2 : ℕ) * padicValRat 5 s :=
    padicValRat.pow hs0
  have h2 : padicValRat 5 ((5 : ℕ) : ℚ) = 1 := padicValRat.self (by norm_num)
  rw [hs] at h1
  norm_num at h2
  rw [h2] at h1
  omega
THEOREM no_rational_character_at_trace_three · IndisputableMonolith/Cost/TraceRationalExponent.lean
no_rational_character_at_trace_three · IndisputableMonolith/Cost/TraceRationalExponent.lean:70
/-- **The demand for a carrier-valued character is too strong.** The trace equation
`r + r⁻¹ = 3` has no rational solution. So a cost whose value at the ratio two is the
perfectly rational `1/2` has no rational character at that ratio, and asking the
factorization to produce one asks for something that does not exist. -/
theorem no_rational_character_at_trace_three : ¬ ∃ r : ℚ, r + r⁻¹ = 3 := by
  rintro ⟨r, hr⟩
  have hr0 : r ≠ 0 := by
    intro h
    rw [h] at hr
    norm_num at hr
  have hquad : r ^ 2 - 3 * r + 1 = 0 := by
    field_simp at hr
    linarith [hr]
  exact no_rational_sqrt_five ⟨2 * r - 3, by nlinarith [hquad]⟩
THEOREM golden_square_has_trace_three · IndisputableMonolith/Cost/TraceRationalExponent.lean
golden_square_has_trace_three · IndisputableMonolith/Cost/TraceRationalExponent.lean:85
/-- The real witness behind the previous theorem, recorded so the object is on the page:
the square of the golden ratio has trace exactly three. -/
theorem golden_square_has_trace_three :
    ((3 + Real.sqrt 5) / 2) + ((3 + Real.sqrt 5) / 2)⁻¹ = 3 := by
  have hsq : Real.sqrt 5 ^ 2 = 5 := Real.sq_sqrt (by norm_num)
  have hnn : (0 : ℝ) ≤ Real.sqrt 5 := Real.sqrt_nonneg 5
  have hne : (3 + Real.sqrt 5) / 2 ≠ 0 := by positivity
  field_simp
  nlinarith [hsq, hnn]
THEOREM rat_of_trace_rat_of_pow_rat · IndisputableMonolith/Cost/TraceRationalExponent.lean
rat_of_trace_rat_of_pow_rat · IndisputableMonolith/Cost/TraceRationalExponent.lean:145
/-- **A rational trace plus any rational power forces rationality.** If `u > 1` has a
rational trace and some positive power of `u` is rational, then `u` is rational.

This is what makes the trace formulation tractable: a genuinely quadratic unit can never
have a rational power. -/
theorem rat_of_trace_rat_of_pow_rat {u : ℝ} (hu : 1 < u) {t : ℚ}
    (ht : u + u⁻¹ = (t : ℝ)) {q : ℕ} (hq : 1 ≤ q) {A : ℚ}
    (hA : u ^ q = (A : ℝ)) :
    ∃ r : ℚ, u = (r : ℝ) := by
  obtain ⟨a, b, ha, hb, hab⟩ := pow_eq_coords hu ht q hq
  have hbne' : ((b : ℝ)) ≠ 0 := by
    simpa using (ne_of_gt hb : b ≠ 0)
  have hval : (A : ℝ) = (a : ℝ) + (b : ℝ) * (u - u⁻¹) := by rw [← hA, hab]
  have hd : u - u⁻¹ = ((A : ℝ) - (a : ℝ)) / (b : ℝ) := by
    rw [eq_div_iff hbne']
    linear_combination -hval
  refine ⟨(t + (A - a) / b) / 2, ?_⟩
  push_cast
  rw [← hd, ← ht]
  ring
THEOREM int_of_rat_exponent_of_trace_rat · IndisputableMonolith/Cost/TraceRationalExponent.lean
int_of_rat_exponent_of_trace_rat · IndisputableMonolith/Cost/TraceRationalExponent.lean:168
/-- **A positive rational exponent with a rational trace is an integer.** If `c` is a
positive rational and `2^c + 2^(-c)` is rational, then `c` has denominator one.

Together with the six exponentials theorem, which rules out irrational `c`, this is the
whole exponent step of the gauge classification. Note what it never assumes: `2^c` is
not required to be rational, only its trace, which is exactly the weakening that
`no_rational_character_at_trace_three` shows to be necessary. -/
theorem int_of_rat_exponent_of_trace_rat {c : ℚ} (hc : 0 < c) {t : ℚ}
    (ht : (2 : ℝ) ^ (c : ℝ) + ((2 : ℝ) ^ (c : ℝ))⁻¹ = (t : ℝ)) :
    c.den = 1 := by
  haveI : Fact (Nat.Prime 2) := ⟨Nat.prime_two⟩
  have hu1 : 1 < (2 : ℝ) ^ (c : ℝ) := by
    have h0 : (2 : ℝ) ^ (0 : ℝ) < (2 : ℝ) ^ (c : ℝ) := by
      apply (Real.rpow_lt_rpow_left_iff (by norm_num)).mpr
      exact_mod_cast hc
    rwa [Real.rpow_zero] at h0
  have hnum : 0 < c.num := Rat.num_pos.mpr hc
  have hpR : ((c.num.toNat : ℕ) : ℝ) = ((c.num : ℤ) : ℝ) := by
    exact_mod_cast congrArg (fun z : ℤ => (z : ℝ)) (Int.toNat_of_nonneg (le_of_lt hnum))
  have hcq : (c : ℝ) * ((c.den : ℕ) : ℝ) = ((c.num.toNat : ℕ) : ℝ) := by
    rw [hpR]
    exact_mod_cast congrArg (fun x : ℚ => (x : ℝ)) (Rat.mul_den_eq_num c)
  have hpow : ((2 : ℝ) ^ (c : ℝ)) ^ (c.den) = (((2 : ℚ) ^ (c.num.toNat) : ℚ) : ℝ) := by
    rw [← Real.rpow_natCast ((2 : ℝ) ^ (c : ℝ)) c.den, ← Real.rpow_mul (by norm_num), hcq,
      Real.rpow_natCast]
    push_cast
    ring
  obtain ⟨r, hr⟩ := rat_of_trace_rat_of_pow_rat hu1 ht c.pos hpow
  have hrq : r ^ (c.den) = (2 : ℚ) ^ (c.num.toNat) := by
    have h : ((r ^ (c.den) : ℚ) : ℝ) = (((2 : ℚ) ^ (c.num.toNat) : ℚ) : ℝ) := by
      rw [← hpow, hr]; push_cast; ring
    exact_mod_cast h
  have hrne : r ≠ 0 := by
    intro h
    rw [h, zero_pow (by have := c.pos; omega : c.den ≠ 0)] at hrq
    have hp : (0 : ℚ) < (2 : ℚ) ^ (c.num.toNat) := by positivity
    rw [← hrq] at hp
    exact lt_irrefl _ hp
  have hv1 : padicValRat 2 (r ^ (c.den)) = (c.den : ℕ) * padicValRat 2 r :=
    padicValRat.pow hrne
  have hself : padicValRat 2 ((2 : ℚ)) = 1 := by
    have h := padicValRat.self (p := 2) (by norm_num)
    norm_num at h
    exact h
  have hv2 : padicValRat 2 ((2 : ℚ) ^ (c.num.toNat)) = (c.num.toNat : ℕ) * 1 := by
    rw [padicValRat.pow (by norm_num : (2 : ℚ) ≠ 0), hself]
  rw [hrq, hv2] at hv1
  have hdvd : c.den ∣ c.num.toNat := by
    have hz : ((c.den : ℕ) : ℤ) ∣ ((c.num.toNat : ℕ) : ℤ) :=
      ⟨padicValRat 2 r, by push_cast at hv1 ⊢; linarith⟩
    exact_mod_cast hz
  have hpabs : c.num.toNat = c.num.natAbs := by
    have h1 : ((c.num.toNat : ℕ) : ℤ) = c.num := Int.toNat_of_nonneg (le_of_lt hnum)
    have h2 : ((c.num.natAbs : ℕ) : ℤ) = c.num := Int.natAbs_of_nonneg (le_of_lt hnum)
    omega
  have hcop : Nat.gcd c.num.toNat c.den = 1 := by
    rw [hpabs]; exact c.reduced
  exact Nat.dvd_one.mp (hcop ▸ Nat.dvd_gcd hdvd dvd_rfl)
THEOREM exponent_is_positive_integer · IndisputableMonolith/Cost/TraceRationalExponent.lean
exponent_is_positive_integer · IndisputableMonolith/Cost/TraceRationalExponent.lean:242
/-- **The exponent is a positive integer.** Given the imported six exponentials input, a
positive real exponent whose traces at the small bases are rational is a positive integer.
It is not further restricted to the odd integers: both parities are inhabited, by
`Cost.GaugeOrbitFromRealCharacter.signedPowerNativeCost_sansAnchor`. This is the arithmetic
half of `GaugeOrbitIsSignedPowerFamily_of_sixExponentials`; the analytic half is Howe. -/
theorem exponent_is_positive_integer (hsix : SixExponentialsTraceInput)
    {c : ℝ} (hc : 0 < c)
    (htrace : ∀ n : ℕ, 2 ≤ n → n ≤ 5 →
      ∃ t : ℚ, ((n : ℝ)) ^ c + (((n : ℝ)) ^ c)⁻¹ = (t : ℝ)) :
    ∃ k : ℕ, 1 ≤ k ∧ c = (k : ℝ) := by
  obtain ⟨r, hr⟩ := hsix c htrace
  have hrpos : 0 < r := by
    have h : (0 : ℝ) < (r : ℝ) := hr ▸ hc
    exact_mod_cast h
  obtain ⟨t, ht⟩ := htrace 2 (by norm_num) (by norm_num)
  have ht' : (2 : ℝ) ^ ((r : ℚ) : ℝ) + ((2 : ℝ) ^ ((r : ℚ) : ℝ))⁻¹ = (t : ℝ) := by
    rw [← hr]
    norm_num at ht ⊢
    exact ht
  have hden : r.den = 1 := int_of_rat_exponent_of_trace_rat hrpos ht'
  have hnum : 0 < r.num := Rat.num_pos.mpr hrpos
  refine ⟨r.num.toNat, by omega, ?_⟩
  have hrn : ((r.num : ℤ) : ℚ) = r := by
    conv_rhs => rw [← Rat.num_div_den r]
    rw [hden]
    norm_num
  have hfin : ((r.num.toNat : ℕ) : ℚ) = r := by
    rw [show ((r.num.toNat : ℕ) : ℚ) = ((r.num.toNat : ℕ) : ℤ) by push_cast; ring,
      Int.toNat_of_nonneg (le_of_lt hnum)]
    exact hrn
  rw [hr]
  exact_mod_cast congrArg (fun x : ℚ => (x : ℝ)) hfin.symm

What this page does not claim

This module does not prove the six exponentials theorem, which enters as an explicit hypothesis. This module does not show that the exponent must be odd; both parities are inhabited. This module does not derive the value of the exponent from the cost function alone.

Verify this page

Every tagged claim above names its theorem. To check one yourself rather than trust this page, elaborate the source module with Lean 4 and audit its axiom basis:

$ lake env lean IndisputableMonolith/Cost/TraceRationalExponent.lean
expected axiom basis: [propext, Classical.choice, Quot.sound] (the Lean kernel's standard three; no RS-specific axioms)

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