Pathological abelian groups: a friendly example (Q2182368)

Let \(A\) be the additive group of bounded (in the real norm) sequences of elements of \(\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{2}]\). The author proves that \(A\cong A\oplus \mathbb{Z}^2\), but \(A\ncong A\oplus \mathbb{Z}\). This statement gives the simplest example for answering the well-known Kaplansky ``test problems'' [\textit{I. Kaplansky}, Infinite abelian groups. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press (1954; Zbl 0057.01901)] and one question of \textit{M. Brandenburg} on the internet site MathOverflow [\url{https://mathoverflow.net/q/218113} (version: 2015-12-02)]. Previously constructed examples of such pathological groups are very complicated.