Rational numbers are a subset of real numbers that can be expressed as a ratio or fraction of two integers. They can be positive or negative and include whole numbers, integers, and fractions. Rational numbers can be written in the form a/b, where a and b are integers and b is not equal to 0.
Rational numbers can be either terminating or repeating decimals when expressed in decimal form. For example, 1/2 is a rational number that can be expressed as 0.5, which terminates after the first decimal place. On the other hand, 1/3 is a rational number that can be expressed as 0.333..., which repeats the digit 3 indefinitely.
Rational numbers also follow certain operations, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. When adding or subtracting rational numbers, we need to have a common denominator to perform the operation. Multiplication and division of rational numbers are straightforward, as we simply multiply or divide the numerators and denominators.
In summary, rational numbers are numbers that can be expressed as fractions and include whole numbers, integers, and fractions. They can be expressed as terminating or repeating decimals and follow certain operations.
Introduction to rational numbers quick check
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