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Rational and Irrational Numbers

Rational numbers are numbers that can be expressed as the ratio of two integers. Irrational numbers are numbers that cannot be expressed as a ratio of integers, such as the square root of 2. The first irrational number was discovered by the Pythagoreans when they found that the diagonal of a unit square could not be expressed as a ratio of whole numbers, contradicting their belief that all numbers were rational. Determining whether numbers are rational or irrational is important in mathematics.

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Karim Ahmed
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300 views11 pages

Rational and Irrational Numbers

Rational numbers are numbers that can be expressed as the ratio of two integers. Irrational numbers are numbers that cannot be expressed as a ratio of integers, such as the square root of 2. The first irrational number was discovered by the Pythagoreans when they found that the diagonal of a unit square could not be expressed as a ratio of whole numbers, contradicting their belief that all numbers were rational. Determining whether numbers are rational or irrational is important in mathematics.

Uploaded by

Karim Ahmed
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Rational and Irrational Numbers

Rational Numbers
A rational number is any number that can be expressed as the
ratio of two integers.
a
All terminating and repeating decimals can be expressed in
this way so they are irrational numbers. b
Examples

4 2 8 6 3 27
5
2
3
= 3
6 = 1 -3 = - 1 2.7 = 10
7 5 3456
0.7 = 10 0.625 = 8 34.56 = 100
1 3 1
0.3 = 3 0.27 = 11 0.142857 = 7
Rational and Irrational Numbers
Rational Numbers
A rational number is any number that can be expressed as the
ratio of two integers.
a
All terminating and repeating decimals can be expressed in
this way so they are irrational numbers. b
Show that the terminating decimals below are rational.

0.6 3.8 56.1 3.45 2.157

6 38 561 345 2157


10 10 10 100 1000

Rational
Rational and Irrational Numbers
Rational Numbers
A rational number is any number that can be expressed as the
ratio of two integers.
a
All terminating and repeating decimals can be expressed in
this way so they are irrational numbers. b
By looking at the previous examples can you spot a quick method of
determining the rational number for any given repeating decimal.

0.3 0.45 0.273 0.1234

3 45 273 1234
9 99 999 9999
Irrational
Rational and Irrational Numbers

a
Irrational Numbers
An irrational number is any number that cannot be
expressed as the ratio of two integers.

The history of irrational numbers begins with a


b
discovery by the Pythagorean School in ancient
Greece. A member of the school discovered that
the diagonal of a unit square could not be
expressed as the ratio of any two whole
numbers. The motto of the school was “All is Pythagoras
Number” (by which they meant whole numbers).
Pythagoras believed in the absoluteness of whole
numbers and could not accept the discovery. The
member of the group that made it was Hippasus
and he was sentenced to death by drowning. 1
(See slide 19/20 for more history)

1
Rational and Irrational Numbers

a
Irrational Numbers
An irrational number is any number that cannot be
expressed as the ratio of two integers.
b
Intuition alone may convince you that all points
on the “Real Number” line can be constructed
from just the infinite set of rational numbers,
after all between any two rational numbers we
can always find another. It took Pythagoras
mathematicians hundreds of years to show that
the majority of Real Numbers are in fact
irrational. The rationals and irrationals are
needed together in order to complete the 1
continuum that is the set of “Real Numbers”.

1
Rational and Irrational Numbers

Multiplication and division of surds.

For example:

and

also for example

and
Rational and Irrational Numbers

Example questions

a Show that is rational

rational

b Show that is rational

rational
Rational and Irrational Numbers

Questions

State whether each of the following are rational or irrational.

a b c d

irrational rational rational irrational

e f g h

rational rational rational irrational


Rational and Irrational Numbers

Combining Rationals and Irrationals

Determine whether the following are rational or irrational.

(a) 0.73 (b) (c) 0.666…. (d) 3.142 (e)

rational irrational rational rational irrational

(f) (g) (h) (i) (j)

irrational irrational rational rational irrational

(j) (k) (l)

irrational rational rational


video
• By karim

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