TOPIC 1

NUMBER SYSTEM
1.1 Real Numbers
1.2 Complex Numbers
1.3 Indices, Surd & Logarithms
Learning outcomes :

At the end of this topic, students should be able to :

a) define natural numbers , whole numbers (W), integers
(Z), prime numbers, rational numbers(Q) and irrational
numbers and real numbers .
b) represent rational and irrational numbers in decimal form.
c) represent the relationship of number sets in a real
number system diagramatically.
d) represent open, closed and half-open intervals and
their representations on the number line.
e) simplify union, and intersection, of two or more
intervals with the aid of number line.
(a) Natural Numbers ( )

When we first learn to count, we use the

numbers, 1, 2, 3, 4. . .

These counting numbers form the set of

natural numbers, denoted by

={1, 2, 3, 4, 5,. . .}
(b) Whole Numbers (W )

The natural numbers, together with 0

(zero), form the set of whole numbers,
denoted by W

W = {0, 1, 2, 3 …}.

Thus
 (c) Integers ( Z )
The whole numbers together with the negative of
counting numbers form the set of integers,
denoted by Z .
Z = {…, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3 …}

Thus

Note :
represents set of positive integers
= { 1, 2, 3 …}
(d) Prime Numbers

The natural numbers that are greater

than 1 and can only be divided by itself
and 1

▪ Example: { 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 23, 29…}.

(e) The Rational Numbers,
A rational number is any number that can be
represented as a ratio (quotient) of
two integers, denoted by Q .

Basically, rational numbers are defined as

follow

represents set of positive rational

numbers
(f) The irrational number,

The number cannot be written as a quotient,

Examples :
Note : How to differentiate between rational and
irrational numbers
A rational number exhibit a repeated pattern, e.g

An irrational number exhibit no pattern of repetition,e.g,

 The difference between rational numbers and irrational
numbers.
Rational Number
Irrational Number
- decimal representations are ;
- decimal representations are ;
🡪 terminating decimal
🡪 non-terminating

🡪 non-repeating

🡪 repeating indefinitely
(g) The real numbers
All rational numbers and irrational numbers
constitute the set of Real Numbers, denoted by R
Relationship of number sets in real number system
Real numbers,R

Rational numbers,Q Irrational numbers,

Integers,Z Non-integer

Negative of Whole numbers,W

natural numbers
Zero Natural numbers,N

Prime numbers Non prime numbers

Example 1 :

List the elements from A that belong to each

of the following sets:
a) Rational numbers=

b) Irrational numbers=

c) Integers =

d) Whole numbers=

e) Natural number=
 Example 2 :

Given S = {-9, , π2, 0, 4, 5.125125}, identify the set of

(a) natural numbers (b) whole numbers (c) integers
(d) rational numbers (e) irrational numbers (f) real numbers
Solution :

Example 3 :

Given List the numbers for

(a) N (b) Z (c) Q (d) R (e)
Solution :
 The Number Line
For example for –3.5, and π can be shown on a real number line

-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4
-3.5 π

The order of real numbers is important in presenting of the intervals on

a number line.
The Order of Real Number
Symbol Description Example
a=b a equal to b 3=3
a<b a less than b −4 < 4
a>b a greater than b 5>0

Intervals of Real Numbers

An interval of real number is the set of real numbers that lie between two
real numbers which are called the endpoints of the interval
Interval notation is used to represent intervals
Notations Set Descriptions Representations Type Of
on a number line Interval
(a,b) Open
a b Interval

[a,b] Closed
a b Interval

(a,b] Half open

interval
a b

[a,b) Half open

interval
a b

Note : An empty circle and a densed circle

Notations Set Descriptions Representations Type Of
on a number line Interval
(-∞,b) Open
b Interval

(-∞,b] Half
open
b interval

(a, ∞) Open
a Interval

[a, ∞) Half
a open
interval
Note : An empty circle and a densed circle
Example 4 :
Represent the following interval on the real
number line and state the type of the interval.
(a) [-1, 4] (b) {x : 2 < x < 5}
(c) [2, ∞) (d) {x : x ≤ 0 }
Solution :
 INTERSECTION AND UNION
OPERATIONS
ON INTERVALS

The intersection, , of two intervals

is the set of real numbers that belong
to both intervals.

The union, , of two intervals is the

set of real numbers that belong to
one, or the other, or both of two
intervals.
Intersection and union operation can be perform on intervals. For
example, if A = [1 , 6) and B = (−2, 4), intersection of set A and set B
is a half-open interval [1,4). The union of set A and set B is given by A
∪ B = (−2, 6) is an opened interval. All these can be shown on a
number line given below :

if

A∩B
-2 1 4 6
and

A∪B
Example 3:
Write each union or intersection as a single
interval and represent on the number line.
 Solution
(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)
 Solution
(e)

(f)

(g)
 Exercise
1. Represent these intervals on a number line.
(a) [2, 5] (b) (−4, 5]
(c) (−8, 8) (d) [−2, ∞)

2. Write down the following solution set as interval and name

them
(a) {x : x 6} (b) {x : −3 x < 6}
(c) {x : −5 < x 5} (d) {x : 0 x 4}
(e) {x : 8 x 13} (f) {x : x 4}

3. Given A = [2, 5], B = (−3, 5], C = (−7, 7) and D = [−3, ∞).

Find the interval for the operation given by
(a) A ∩ B (b) A ∪ B
(c) A ∩ C ∩ D (d) C ∪ D ∩ A