Definition:Apotome

Definition
Let $a, b \in \R_{>0}$ be (strictly) positive real numbers.

Then $a - b$ is an apotome iff:
 * $\displaystyle \frac a b \not \in \Q$ and $\displaystyle \left({\frac a b}\right)^2 \in \Q$ and $a - b \not \in \Q$ and $a - b > 0$.

$a$ is called the whole and $b$ is called the annex.

Also see

 * Definition:Binomial (Euclidean)


 * Apotome is Irrational

Linguistic Note
The term apotome is archaic, and is rarely used nowadays.

It is pronounced a-pot-o-mee.

It means portion cut off.