Counting algebraic numbers in short intervals with rational points

Abstract

In 2012 it was proved that real algebraic numbers follow a non-uniform but regular distribution, where the respective definitions go back to H. Weyl (1916) and A. Baker and W. Schmidt (1970). The largest deviations from the uniform distribution occur in neighborhoods of rational numbers with small denominators. In this article the authors are first to specify a general condition that guarantees the presence of a large quantity of real algebraic numbers in a small interval. Under this condition, the distribution of real algebraic numbers attains even stronger regularity properties, indicating that there is a chance of proving Wirsing’s conjecture on approximation of real numbers by algebraic numbers and algebraic integers.