Rings of normal and nonnormal numbers (Q1310423)

Let \(a,b>1\) be integers with \((a,b)=1\). The authors prove the existence of rings of real numbers all of whose non-zero elements are normal to base \(a\) but nonnormal to base \(ab\). This paper has been inspired by work of the late G. Wagner who established in 1989 the existence of such rings in the case when \(a\) is an odd prime. Wagner's proof is simplified here.