Problem 103 - Introductory and Intermediate Algebra for College Students 4th

Question

What is a rational number?

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

A rational number is any number that can be expressed as the fraction of two integers. It can be represented on a number line. Some examples are \(\frac{1}{2}\), \(\frac{3}{4}\), 7 (as \(\frac{7}{1}\)) or -2 (as \(\frac{-2}{1}\)).

Step 1: Definition

A rational number is a number that can be expressed as the fraction of two integers. In other words, it's a number that can be written in the form \(\frac{a}{b}\), where \(a\) and \(b\) are both integers, and \(b\) is not equal to zero.

Step 2: Representation

Rational numbers can be represented on a number line. Each point on the line corresponds to a rational number.

Step 3: Examples

Examples of rational numbers include simple fractions such as \(\frac{1}{2}\), \(\frac{3}{4}\), or \(\frac{7}{8}\). Whole numbers are also rational because they can be expressed as a fraction with the denominator 1, for example, 3 can be written as \(\frac{3}{1}\). Negative numbers can also be rational, for example, -2 can be written as \(\frac{-2}{1}\).