The Eudoxus Reals

Abstract

We examine a unique construction of the real numbers which proceeds directly from the integers using approximately linear-endomorphisms with finite error, called near-endomorphisms. In this paper, we show that the set of near-endomorphisms forms a complete ordered field isomorphic to the reals. Moreover, we show that there are uncountably many near-endomorphisms without reference to the reals. We then investigate a natural extension of near-endomorphisms, which we call quasi-homomorphisms, to other abelian groups. Extending prior results about the construction of the $p$-adic numbers and the rational adele ring, we find the ring of near-endomorphisms of certain localizations of the integers, and suggest further directions for exploration.