Reducing radicals in the spirit of Euclid

Abstract

Let p be an odd natural number ≥3. Inspired by results from Euclid's Elements, we express the irrationaly=d+Rp, whose degree is 2p, as a polynomial function of irrationals of degrees ≤p. In certain cases y is expressed by simple radicals. This reduction of the degree exhibits remarkably regular patterns of the polynomials involved. The proof is based on hypergeometric summation, in particular, on Zeilberger's algorithm.