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You can add and multiply rational numbers and still get a rational number at the end, which is very useful. If we have 4 integers a , b , c and d , then the rules for adding and multiplying rational numbers are

a b + c d = a d + b c b d a b × c d = a c b d

Notation tip

The statement "4 integers a , b , c and d " can be written formally as { a , b , c , d } Z because the symbol means in and we say that a , b , c and d are in the set of integers.

Two rational numbers ( a b and c d ) represent the same number if a d = b c . It is always best to simplify any rational number, so that the denominator is as small as possible. This can be achieved by dividing both the numerator and the denominator by the same integer. For example, the rational number 1000 / 10000 can be divided by 1000 on the top and the bottom, which gives 1 / 10 . 2 3 of a pizza is the same as 8 12 ( [link] ).

8 12 of the pizza is the same as 2 3 of the pizza.

You can also add rational numbers together by finding the lowest common denominator and then adding the numerators. Finding a lowest common denominator means finding the lowest number that both denominators are a factor Some people say divisor instead of factor. of. A factor of a number is an integer which evenly divides that number without leaving a remainder. The following numbers all have a factor of 3

3 , 6 , 9 , 12 , 15 , 18 , 21 , 24 , ...

and the following all have factors of 4

4 , 8 , 12 , 16 , 20 , 24 , 28 , ...

The common denominators between 3 and 4 are all the numbers that appear in both of these lists, like 12 and 24. The lowest common denominator of 3 and 4 is the smallest number that has both 3 and 4 as factors, which is 12.

For example, if we wish to add 3 4 + 2 3 , we first need to write both fractions so that their denominators are the same by finding the lowest common denominator, which we know is 12. We can do this by multiplying 3 4 by 3 3 and 2 3 by 4 4 . 3 3 and 4 4 are really just complicated ways of writing 1. Multiplying a number by 1 doesn't change the number.

3 4 + 2 3 = 3 4 × 3 3 + 2 3 × 4 4 = 3 × 3 4 × 3 + 2 × 4 3 × 4 = 9 12 + 8 12 = 9 + 8 12 = 17 12

Dividing by a rational number is the same as multiplying by its reciprocal, as long as neither the numerator nor the denominator is zero:

a b ÷ c d = a b . d c = a d b c

A rational number may be a proper or improper fraction.

Proper fractions have a numerator that is smaller than the denominator. For example,

- 1 2 , 3 15 , - 5 - 20

are proper fractions.

Improper fractions have a numerator that is larger than the denominator. For example,

- 10 2 , 15 13 , - 53 - 20

are improper fractions. Improper fractions can always be written as the sum of an integer and a proper fraction.

Converting rationals into decimal numbers

Converting rationals into decimal numbers is very easy.

If you use a calculator, you can simply divide the numerator by the denominator.

If you do not have a calculator, then you have to use long division.

Since long division was first taught in primary school, it will not be discussed here. If you have trouble with long division, then please ask your friends or your teacher to explain it to you.

Irrational numbers

An irrational number is any real number that is not a rational number. When expressed as decimals, these numbers can never be fully written out as they have an infinite number of decimal places which never fall into a repeating pattern. For example, 2 = 1 , 41421356 ... , π = 3 , 14159265 ... . π is a Greek letter and is pronounced “pie”.

Real numbers

  1. Identify the number type (rational, irrational, real, integer) of each of the following numbers:
    1. c d if c is an integer and if d is irrational.
    2. 3 2
    3. -25
    4. 1,525
    5. 10
  2. Is the following pair of numbers real and rational or real and irrational? Explain. 4 ; 1 8

Mathematical symbols

The following is a table of the meanings of some mathematical signs and symbols that you should have come across in earlier grades.

Sign or Symbol Meaning
> greater than
< less than
greater than or equal to
less than or equal to

So if we write x > 5 , we say that x is greater than 5 and if we write x y , we mean that x can be greater than or equal to y . Similarly, < means `is less than' and means `is less than or equal to'. Instead of saying that x is between 6 and 10, we often write 6 < x < 10 . This directly means `six is less than x which in turn is less than ten'.

Mathematical symbols

  1. Write the following in symbols:
    1. x is greater than 1
    2. y is less than or equal to z
    3. a is greater than or equal to 21
    4. p is greater than or equal to 21 and p is less than or equal to 25

Infinity

Infinity (symbol ) is usually thought of as something like “the largest possible number" or “the furthest possible distance". In mathematics, infinity is often treated as if it were a number, but it is clearly a very different type of “number" than integers or reals.

When talking about recurring decimals and irrational numbers, the term infinite was used to describe never-ending digits.

End of chapter exercises

  1. Calculate
    1. 18 - 6 × 2
    2. 10 + 3 ( 2 + 6 )
    3. 50 - 10 ( 4 - 2 ) + 6
    4. 2 × 9 - 3 ( 6 - 1 ) + 1
    5. 8 + 24 ÷ 4 × 2
    6. 30 - 3 × 4 + 2
    7. 36 ÷ 4 ( 5 - 2 ) + 6
    8. 20 - 4 × 2 + 3
    9. 4 + 6 ( 8 + 2 ) - 3
    10. 100 - 10 ( 2 + 3 ) + 4
  2. If p = q + 4 r , then r = . . . . .
  3. Solve x - 2 3 = x - 3

Questions & Answers

A golfer on a fairway is 70 m away from the green, which sits below the level of the fairway by 20 m. If the golfer hits the ball at an angle of 40° with an initial speed of 20 m/s, how close to the green does she come?
Aislinn Reply
cm
tijani
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John Reply
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Siyaka Reply
A mouse of mass 200 g falls 100 m down a vertical mine shaft and lands at the bottom with a speed of 8.0 m/s. During its fall, how much work is done on the mouse by air resistance
Jude Reply
Can you compute that for me. Ty
Jude
what is the dimension formula of energy?
David Reply
what is viscosity?
David
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emma Reply
what is chemistry
Youesf Reply
what is inorganic
emma
Chemistry is a branch of science that deals with the study of matter,it composition,it structure and the changes it undergoes
Adjei
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Adjanou
chemistry could also be understood like the sexual attraction/repulsion of the male and female elements. the reaction varies depending on the energy differences of each given gender. + masculine -female.
Pedro
A ball is thrown straight up.it passes a 2.0m high window 7.50 m off the ground on it path up and takes 1.30 s to go past the window.what was the ball initial velocity
Krampah Reply
2. A sled plus passenger with total mass 50 kg is pulled 20 m across the snow (0.20) at constant velocity by a force directed 25° above the horizontal. Calculate (a) the work of the applied force, (b) the work of friction, and (c) the total work.
Sahid Reply
you have been hired as an espert witness in a court case involving an automobile accident. the accident involved car A of mass 1500kg which crashed into stationary car B of mass 1100kg. the driver of car A applied his brakes 15 m before he skidded and crashed into car B. after the collision, car A s
Samuel Reply
can someone explain to me, an ignorant high school student, why the trend of the graph doesn't follow the fact that the higher frequency a sound wave is, the more power it is, hence, making me think the phons output would follow this general trend?
Joseph Reply
Nevermind i just realied that the graph is the phons output for a person with normal hearing and not just the phons output of the sound waves power, I should read the entire thing next time
Joseph
Follow up question, does anyone know where I can find a graph that accuretly depicts the actual relative "power" output of sound over its frequency instead of just humans hearing
Joseph
"Generation of electrical energy from sound energy | IEEE Conference Publication | IEEE Xplore" ***ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7150687?reload=true
Ryan
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Maurice Reply
what are the types of wave
Maurice
answer
Magreth
progressive wave
Magreth
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Mujahid
A string is 3.00 m long with a mass of 5.00 g. The string is held taut with a tension of 500.00 N applied to the string. A pulse is sent down the string. How long does it take the pulse to travel the 3.00 m of the string?
yasuo Reply
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Source:  OpenStax, Siyavula textbooks: grade 10 maths [ncs]. OpenStax CNX. Aug 05, 2011 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col11239/1.2
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