Rational and Irrational Numbers – Summary Notes

INTRODUCTION
The complete number system is divided into two types of numbers:
1. Imaginary numbers 2. Real Numbers
For example:
1. If x  4,  x i.e., 4 is an imaginary number and x  4  2 is a real number.
2. 5 is imaginary but 5 is real and so on.
Thus, square root of every negative number is an imaginary number and if the number is not
imaginary, it is a real number.
In this chapter, we confine our studies only upto real numbers.
Starting from real numbers, the complete number system is as shown below:

RATIONAL NUMBERS (Q)

a
A number which can be expressed as , where ‘a’ and ‘b’ both are integers and ‘b’ is not equal
b
to zero, is called a rational number.
In general, the set of rational numbers is denoted by the letter Q.
a 
 Q   : a, b  Z and b  0
b 
 a
1. is a rational number
b
 (i) b  0
(ii) a and b have no common factor other than 1 (one) i.e., a and b are co-primes.
(iii) b is usually positive, whereas a may be positive, negative or zero.
2. Every integer (positive, negative or zero) and every decimal number is a rational number.
a a
3. Corresponding to every rational number , its negative rational number is .
b b
a a a 3 3 3
Also,    e.g.,    and so on.
b b b 5 5 5
a c
4. Two rational numbers and are equal, if and only if: a  d  b  c .
b d
a c
i.e.,   a  d  b  c
b d
a c a c
Also,   a  d  b  c and   a  d  b  c .
b d b d
ab
5. For any two rational numbers a and b, is also a rational number which lies between
2
a and b. Thus:
ab ab
If a  b  a   b and if a  b  a   b.
2 2

Example 1: Insert three rational numbers between 3 and 5.

Solution:
35
Since, 3  5  3  5. [Inserting one rational number between 3 and 5]
2
3 45
3 4 45
3 4 5
2 2
7 9 1 1
 3   4   5 3  3  4  4  5
2 2 2 2
1 1
 3 , 4 and 4 are three rational numbers between 3 and 5.
2 2
1. There are infinitely many rational numbers between each pair of rational numbers.
a c ac
2. For rational numbers and , is also a rational number with its value lying between
b d bd
a c
and .
b d
For example 1, given above:
Consider the rational numbers 3 and 5
3 5 3 5
i.e., and where 
1 1 1 1
3 35 5 3 4 5
   i.e.,  
1 11 1 1 1 1
3 3 4 4 45 5
    
1 11 1 11 1
7 9 1 1
 3   4   5 i.e., 3   4  4  5
2 2 2 2
Also, every terminating and non-terminating recurring decimal number between 3 and 5 is a
rational number between 3 and 5.
For example:

(i) 3.2  3.85  4.3 (ii) 4.97  4.294  3.87  3.2

METHOD FOR FINDING LARGE NUMBER OF RATIONAL NUMBERS BETWEEN

TWO GIVEN RATIONAL NUMBES
Let x and y be two rational numbers such that x  y .
yx
In order to find n rational numbers between x and y, first of all find d  .
n 1
Then, n rational number between x and y are:
x  d , x  2d , x  3d ,......, x  nd .
In example 1, given above: 3  5
 x  3 and y  5
To insert 3 rational numbers between 3 and 5, n  3
y  x 53 2 1
d     .
n 1 3 1 4 2
 Required rational numbers are: x  d , x  2d and x  3d
1 1 1 1 1
 3  ,3  2  and 3  3   3 , 4 and 4
2 2 2 2 2

PROPERTIES OF RATIONAL NUMBERS (Q)

1. The sum of two or more rational numbers is always a rational number.
2. The difference of two rational numbers is always a rational number.
If a and b are any two rational numbers, then each of a  b and b  a is also a rational number.
3. The product of two or more rational numbers is always a rational number.
4. The division of a rational number by a non-zero rational number is always a rational number.
a
If a and b are any two rational numbers and b  0 ; then is always a rational number.
b
 Since, the sum (addition) of two rational numbers is always a rational number; we say that the
set of rational numbers is closed for addition.
In the same way, the set of rational numbers is closed for:
(i) subtraction (ii) multiplication and (iii) division; if divisor  0 .

DECIMAL REPRESENTATION OF RATIONAL NUMBERS

[Terminating decimals and non-terminating recurring decimals]
Every rational number can be expressed either as a terminating decimal or a non-terminating decimal.
(a) Examine the following rational numbers:
1 1 2
(i)  0.125 (ii)  0.04 (iii) 3  3.4
8 25 5
In each example, given above, the division is exact i.e. no remainder is left. The quotients
of such divisions are called terminating decimals.
(b) Now, examine the following divisions:
3 18
(i)  0.428571428.... (ii)  0.7826086....
7 23
In each example, given above, the division never ends, no matter how long it continues.
The quotients of such divisions are called non-terminating decimals.
(c) Further, examine the following divisions:
4 11 4
(i)  0.4444.... (ii)  0.36666.... (iii)  0.571428571428....
9 30 7
In (i); digit ‘4’ is repeated again and again.
In (ii); digit ‘3’ is not repeated but digit '6' is repeated again and again.
In (iii); the set of digits ‘571428’ is repeated again and again.
13
Similarly, in  0.29545454.... ; ‘29’ is not repeated but ‘54’ is repeated.
44
In such cases; the process of division will never end (terminate) and in the decimal part, either a
single digit or a set of digits repeats in some specific order.
Such a non-terminating decimal, in which a digit or a set of digits repeats continually, is called
a recurring or a periodic or a circulating decimal. The repeating digit or the set of repeating digits
is called the period of the recurring decimal.
4
Therefore, in (i)  0.4444.....; 4 is the period,
9
11
in (ii)  0.36666......;6 is the period and
30
4
in (iii)  0.571428571428......;571428 is the period.
7
 Notation: The period of recurring decimals is indicated as follows:
(i) If only one digit repeats, a dot or a bar is put above it.
4 
Thus,  0.4444......  0.4 or  0.4 ;
9
11 
 0.36666....  0.36 or 0.36
30
(ii) If two digits repeat, a dot or a bar is put above each.
13  
Thus,  0.29545454....  0.295 4 or 0.29 54
44
(iii) If three or more digits repeat, dots are put above the first and the last repeating digits or a bar
is put over all the repeating digits.
4
Thus,  0.571428 571428.....
7
 
 0.571428 or 0.571428
In a recurring decimal, if all the digits in the decimal part are not repeating, it is called a mixed
recurring decimal.
 
e.g. 0.78, 0.439, 3.54 7, etc.

IRRATIONAL NUMBERS Q  
(a) The square roots, cube roots, etc., of natural numbers are irrational numbers; if their exact
values cannot be obtained.
m is irrational, if exact square root of m does not exist.
Similarly, 3 m is irrational, if exact cube root of m does not exist.
(b) A non-terminating and non-recurring decimal is an irrational number.
e.g. (i) 0.42434445 ,…. (ii) 3.862045…. and so on.
Circumference of a circle
(c) The number  
Diameter of the circle taken
 3.14159265358979323846264338327950....
= An irrational number
22 22
[We often take as an approximate value of  , but   ]
7 7
(i) 3  5  8; 7  5  2
(ii) 5  5  10; but 5  5  2 5 and 5 5 5
5 2 7
(iii)  5,  2,  7 and so on.
5 2 7
(iv) 48  2  2  2  2  3  2  2  3  4 3 and so on.
 p
As per classical definition of rational numbers, if a number can be expressed as , where p and
q
q are integers and q  0; it is a rational number. But in cases like 2, 3 , etc., such
representation is not possible, so, such numbers are irrational numbers.
Remember that:
1. If p is a number whose square  p 2  is divisible by 2, then necessarily p is also divisible by
2. Similarly, if:
(i) p 2 is divisible by 3  p is divisible by 3,
(ii) p 2 is divisible by 5  p is divisible by 5 and so on.
2. A number is rational if:
p
(i) the number can be expressed as , where p and q are integers and q  0 .
q
(ii) p and q do not have any common factor other than unity (1)
p
Suppose, p and q both have a common factor 2; then is not rational. Similarly, if p and q
q
p
both have 3 as a common factor, then is not rational and so on.
q

More about irrational numbers:

1. For any two positive rational numbers x and y
If x and y are irrationals then:
x  y  x  y and x  y  x y.
2. (i) a  b x  c  d x  a  c and b  d .
(ii) 5  a 3  b  2 3  b  5 and a  2 .
(iii) x 5  3 2  4 5  y 2  x  4 and y  3 and so on.
3. The negative of an irrational number is always irrational.
4. The sum of a rational and an irrational number is always irrational.
5. The product of a non-zero rational number and an irrational number is always irrational.

Note 1: The sum of two irrational numbers may or may not be irrational.
e.g.    
(i) 3  5  6  5  9; which is not an irrational number.

(ii)  7  3   
2 3  7 3 2 3

 7  2; which is an irrational number.

Note 2: The difference of two irrational numbers may or may not be irrational
e.g.    
(i) 8  10  3  10  5; which is not an irrational number.

(ii)  3 2  5    7 2  12   3 2  5  7 2  12

 10 2  17; which is an irrational number.

Note 3: The product of two irrational numbers may or may not be irrational.
e.g.    
(i) 3  5  3  5  9  5  4; which is not an irrational number.

(ii)  2  3    3  2   6  2 2  3 3  6 ; which is an irrational number.

1. Since, 5  25 and 6  36 ; therefore, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 and
35 are irrational numbers between 5 and 6.
2. Since, 3 2  32  2  18 and 2 3  22  3  12 ; therefore 17, 15, 14 and 13
are irrational numbers between 3 2 and 2 3 .

REAL NUMBERS (R)

The union of the set of rational numbers and the set of irrational numbers is called the set of real
numbers, i.e. R  Q  Q .
Rational number (Q):
= Set of all terminating or recurring decimals.
Irrational numbers Q :  
= Set of all non-terminating and non-recurring decimals.

SURDS (Radicals)
1
n
If x is a positive rational number and n is a positive integer such that x n i.e., x is irrational; then
1/n
x is called a surd or a radical.
 6 is a surd,
3
(i) 6 is a positive rational number, (ii) 3
6 is an irrational number.
(i) Similarly, 5, 4 8, 3 20 , etc. are surds as 5, 8, 20, etc. are positive rational numbers.
(ii) But 4, 3 27 and 4
625 are not surds because 4  2, 3 27  3 and 4
625  5 i.e. 4, 3
27
and 4 625 are not irrational numbers.
1. Every surd is an irrational number, but every irrational number is not a surd.
For example, ‘  ’ is an irrational number but not a surd.
2. Let a be a rational number and n be a positive number greater than 1, then n
a i.e., a1/n is
called a surd of order n.
 (a) 5 is a surd of order 2.
 (b) 3 10 is a surd of order 3.
5
(c) 7 is a surd of order 5 and so on.

RATIONALISATION (For surds of order 2)

When two surds are multiplied together such that their product is a rational number, the two surds
are called rationalizing factors of each other.
The process of rationalizing a surd by multiplying it with its rationalizing factor is called
rationalization.
Examples:
(i) Since, 5 2  3 2  15  2  30 ; which is a rational number, therefore 5 2 and 3 2 are
rationalizing factors of each other.
(ii) 3 7 and 4 7 are rationalizing factors of each other.
As 3 7  4 7  12  7  84 ; which is a rational number.
Since: (i) 2 5  3 5  6  5  30  2 5 and 3 5 are rationalizing factors of each other.
(ii) 2 5  5  2  5  10  2 5 and 5 are rationalizing factors of each other.
3 3
(iii) 2 5   6  2 5 and are rationalizing factors of each other.
5 5
Therefore, from examples, given above, we can conclude that the rationalizing factor of a surd
is not unique.

SIMPLIFYING AN EXPRESSION BY RATIONALISING ITS DENOMINATOR