To determine whether the sum of the squares of 24 and \( \frac{1}{8} \) will be a rational or irrational number, we will follow these steps:
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Square the numbers:
- The square of 24 is \( 24^2 = 576 \).
- The square of \( \frac{1}{8} \) is \( \left(\frac{1}{8}\right)^2 = \frac{1}{64} \).
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Add the squared values:
- Now we need to add \( 576 \) and \( \frac{1}{64} \): \[ 576 + \frac{1}{64} \]
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Finding a common denominator:
- The common denominator between the whole number 576 (which can be expressed as \( \frac{576 \times 64}{64} \)) and \( \frac{1}{64} \) is \( 64 \).
- Converting \( 576 \) into a fraction: \[ 576 = \frac{576 \times 64}{64} = \frac{36864}{64} \]
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Now add the fractions: \[ \frac{36864}{64} + \frac{1}{64} = \frac{36864 + 1}{64} = \frac{36865}{64} \]
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Determine if the result is rational or irrational:
- Since \( 36865 \) is an integer and \( 64 \) is a non-zero integer, \( \frac{36865}{64} \) is a rational number.
Conclusion: The sum of the squares of 24 and \( \frac{1}{8} \) is a rational number.