Rational and Irrational Numbers

Rational Numbers
A rational number is any number that can be expressed as the
ratio of two integers.
Examples
All terminating and repeating decimals can be expressed in
this way so they are irrational numbers.
a
b
4
5
2
2
3
=
8
3
6 =
6
1
2.7 =
27
10
0.625 =
5
8
34.56
=
3456
100
-3 =
3
1
-
0.3 =
1
3
0.27
=
3
11
0.142857
=
1
7
0.7
=
7
10
Rational and Irrational Numbers
Rational Numbers
A rational number is any number that can be expressed as the
ratio of two integers.
All terminating and repeating decimals can be expressed in
this way so they are irrational numbers.
a
b
Show that the terminating decimals below are rational.
0.6 3.8 56.1 3.45
2.157
6
10
38
10
561
10
345
100
2157
1000
RATIONAL
Rational and Irrational Numbers
Rational Numbers
A rational number is any number that can be expressed as the
ratio of two integers.
All terminating and repeating decimals can be expressed in
this way so they are rational numbers.
a
b
To show that a repeating decimal is rational.
Example 1
To show that 0.333 is rational.
Let x = 0.333
10x = 3.33
9x = 3
x = 3/9
x = 1/3
Example 2
To show that 0.4545 is rational.
Let x = 0.4545
100x = 45.45
99x = 45
x = 45/99
x = 5/11
Rational and Irrational Numbers
Rational Numbers
A rational number is any number that can be expressed as the
ratio of two integers.
All terminating and repeating decimals can be expressed in
this way so they are rational numbers.
a
b
Question 1
Show that 0.222 is rational.
Let x = 0.222
10x = 2.22
9x = 2
x = 2/9
Question 2
Show that 0.6363 is rational.
Let x = 0.6363
100x = 63.63
99x = 63
x = 63/99
x = 7/11
Rational and Irrational Numbers
Rational Numbers
A rational number is any number that can be expressed as the
ratio of two integers.
All terminating and repeating decimals can be expressed in
this way so they are rational numbers.
a
b
999x = 273
x = 273/999
9999x = 1234
x = 1234/9999
Question 3
Show that 0.273is rational.
Let x = 0.273
1000x = 273.273
x = 91/333
Question 4
Show that 0.1234 is rational.
Let x = 0.1234
10000x = 1234.1234
Rational and Irrational Numbers
Rational Numbers
A rational number is any number that can be expressed as the
ratio of two integers.
All terminating and repeating decimals can be expressed in
this way so they are rational numbers.
a
b
By looking at the previous examples can you spot a quick method of
determining the rational number for any given repeating decimal.
0.1234
1234
9999
0.273
273
999
0.45
45
99
0.3
3
9
Rational and Irrational Numbers
Rational Numbers
A rational number is any number that can be expressed as the
ratio of two integers.
All terminating and repeating decimals can be expressed in
this way so they are rational numbers.
a
b
0.1234
1234
9999
0.273
273
999
0.45
45
99
0.3
3
9
Write the repeating part of the decimal as the numerator and write the
denominator as a sequence of 9s with the same number of digits as the
numerator then simplify where necessary.
Rational and Irrational Numbers
Rational Numbers
A rational number is any number that can be expressed as the
ratio of two integers.
All terminating and repeating decimals can be expressed in
this way so they are rational numbers.
a
b
1543
9999
628
999
32
99
7
9
0.1543
0.628 0.32
0.7
Write down the rational form for each of the repeating decimals below.
IRRATIONAL
a
b
Rational and Irrational Numbers
Irrational Numbers
An irrational number is any number that cannot be
expressed as the ratio of two integers.
1
1
2
Pythagoras
The history of irrational numbers begins with a
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
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.
(See slide 19/20 for more history)
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Rational Numbers
Irrational Numbers

2

3
4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18
a
b
Rational and Irrational Numbers
Irrational Numbers
An irrational number is any number that cannot be
expressed as the ratio of two integers.
1
1
2
Pythagoras
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
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
continuum that is the set of Real Numbers.
a
b
Rational and Irrational Numbers
Irrational Numbers
An irrational number is any number that cannot be
expressed as the ratio of two integers.
1
1
2
Pythagoras
Surds are Irrational Numbers
3
1
27
1
2
1
4
1
3
and We can simplify numbers such as
into rational numbers.
However, other numbers involving
roots such as those shown cannot
be reduced to a rational form.
3
12 8 2 , ,
Any number of the form which cannot be written
as a rational number is called a surd.
n
m
All irrational numbers are non-terminating, non-repeating decimals.
Their decimal expansion form shows no pattern whatsoever.
Other irrational numbers include and e, (Eulers number)

Rational and Irrational Numbers

Multiplication and division of surds.
b a ab x
6 3 2 9 4 9 4 36 x x x
For example:
10 5 10 5 50 x x
and
b
a
b
a

also
3
2
9
4
9
4

for example
and
7
6
7
6

Rational and Irrational Numbers

Example questions
Show that 12 3 x
is rational
6 36 12 3 12 3 x x rational
Show that
is rational
5
45
3 9
5
45
5
45

rational
a
b
Rational and Irrational Numbers
Questions
8
32
a
e
State whether each of the following are rational or irrational.
7 6 x
b
5 x 20
c
3 x 27
d
3 x 4
11
44
f
2
18
g
5
25
h
irrational rational
rational
irrational
rational
rational
rational
irrational
Rational and Irrational Numbers
Combining Rationals and Irrationals
Addition and subtraction of an integer to an irrational number gives
another irrational number, as does multiplication and division.
Examples of irrationals
1 17 3 3 8 5 3 6 5 10 7 2
3
) )( ( ) )( ( 7 6 2 6 5 3 5 3 4 5
5
3
11 2 8 3
3 10 28
25 3 10 3


6 9 20
14 6 9 6

Rational and Irrational Numbers
Combining Rationals and Irrationals
Multiplication and division of an irrational number by another irrational
can often lead to a rational number.
Examples of Rationals
) )( ( ) )( ( ) ( ) ( 4 3 4 3 1 2 1 2 5 9 6 2 5 7 3
2
1
2 2

21 26
8 1
-13
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)
.25 12

(f) (g) (h) (i) (j)
7
5 4
1
3
) 2 (
3
16
2
1
2 3
2) (


(j) (k) (l) 1) 3 1)( ( 3 ) 6 1)( ( 1 6 ) )( ( 2 1 2 1
irrational rational
rational rational irrational
irrational irrational rational
rational irrational
irrational rational
rational

2
HISTORY
The Pythagoreans
Pythagoras was a semi-mystical figure who was born on the Island
of Samos in the Eastern Aegean in about 570 B.C. He travelled
extensively throughout Egypt, Mesopotamia and India absorbing
much mathematics and mysticism. He eventually settled in the
Greek town of Crotona in southern Italy.
He founded a secretive and scholarly society there that become
known as the Pythagorean Brotherhood. It was a mystical almost
religious society devoted to the study of Philosophy, Science and
Mathematics. Their work was based on the belief that all natural
phenomena could be explained by reference to whole numbers or
ratios of whole numbers. Their motto became All is Number.
They were successful in understanding the mathematical
principals behind music. By examining the vibrations of a single
string they discovered that harmonious tones only occurred when
the string was fixed at points along its length that were ratios of
whole numbers. For instance when a string is fixed 1/2 way along
its length and plucked, a tone is produced that is 1 octave higher
and in harmony with the original. Harmonious tones are produced
when the string is fixed at distances such as 1/3, 1/4, 1/5, 2/3
and 3/4 of the way along its length. By fixing the string at points
along its length that were not a simple fraction, a note is
produced that is not in harmony with the other tones.
Pentagram
Pythagoras
Spirit
Water
Air
Earth
Fire
Pythagoras and his followers discovered many patterns and relationships between whole numbers.
Triangular Numbers:
1 + 2 + 3 + ...+ n
= n(n + 1)/2
Square Numbers:
1 + 3 + 5 + ...+ 2n 1
= n
2

Pentagonal Numbers:
1 + 4 + 7 + ...+ 3n 2
= n(3n 1)/2
Hexagonal Numbers:
1 + 5 + 9 + ...+ 4n 3
= 2n
2
-n
These figurate numbers were extended into 3 dimensional space and became
polyhedral numbers. They also studied the properties of many other types of
number such as Abundant, Defective, Perfect and Amicable.
In Pythagorean numerology numbers were assigned characteristics or attributes. Odd numbers were regarded as
male and even numbers as female.
1. The number of reason (the generator of all numbers)
2. The number of opinion (The first female number)
3. The number of harmony (the first proper male number)
4. The number of justice or retribution, indicating the squaring of accounts (Fair and square)
5. The number of marriage (the union of the first male and female numbers)
6. The number of creation (male + female + 1)
10. The number of the Universe (The tetractys. The most important of all numbers representing the sum
of all possible geometric dimensions. 1 point + 2 points (line) + 3 points (surface) + 4 points (plane)
The Square Root of 2 is Irrational
1
1
This is a reductio-ad-absurdum proof.
To prove that is irrational
Assume the contrary: is rational
That is, there exist integers p and q with no common factors such that:
2
q
p
2
2
2

q
p
even is p q p 2
2 2

(Since 2q
2
is even, p
2
is even so p even) So p = 2k for some k.
. , even is q
p
q
q
p
as Also
2
2
2
2
2
2

(Since p is even is even, q
2
is even so q is even)
2
2
p
So q = 2m for some m.

p
q

2k
2m

p
q
have a factor of 2 in common.
This contradicts the original assumption.
is irrational. QED
(odd
2
= odd)
PROOF

2

2

2

2