📝 SummarXiv

Abstract

We investigate the following problem: what is the smallest possible distance between a cubic irrational $\xi$ and a rational number $p/q$ in terms of the height $H(\xi)$ and $q$? More precisely, we consider the set $D_{3,1}$ of all pairs $(u,v)$ of positive real numbers such that $|\xi - p/q| > cH^{-u}(\xi)q^{-v}$ for all cubic irrationals $\xi$ and rationals $p/q$. First, we transform this problem into one about the root separation of cubic polynomials. Second, we establish a conditional result: under the Hall conjecture (a special case of the famous abc-conjecture), every pair $(u,v) = (3+2\epsilon, 5/2+\epsilon)$ belongs to $D_{3,1}$. Third, we show that every pair $(u,v)\in D_{3,1}$ must satisfy $u\ge 10-3v$. Finally, we discuss an analogue of the set $D_{3,1}$ in function fields where we are able to give a complete description.