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Algebra 101: Real Numbers and the Real Number Line

What Are Real Numbers?

Le t ’ s s t a r t fr o m t h e ba s i c s :

A s e t ca n be de f i n e d as a co l l e c t i o n o f o b j e c t s th a t ar e g r o u p e d w i t h i n pa r e n t h e s i s { }, an d

e a c h o b j e c t i s kn o w n as an e l e m e n t . A s u b s e t is a s e t t h a t ha s e l e m e n t s t h a t ar e pr e s e n t i n

a g i v e n s e t . An e m p t y se t ha s no e l e m e n t s an d it ’ s de n o t e d as { } or ∅ .

Se t s ar e o n e o f t h e ma i n fo c u s e s i n ma t h s . Th e s e t o f na t u r a l nu m b e r s i s re p r e s e n t e d w i t h

N:

{1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , … }

Th e t h r e e pe r i o d s ( … ) i s an e l l i p s i s t h a t sh o w s th a t t h e nu m b e r s ar e in f i n i t e .

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Th e s e t o f w h o l e nu m b e r s is re p r e s e n t e d w i t h W. It co n s i s t s of na t u r a l nu m b e r s an d ze r o .

{0 , 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , … }

Th e s e t o f in t e g e r s ha s ze r o , po s i t i v e an d ne g a t i v e nu m b e r s . I t ’ s re p r e s e n t e d as Z.

{ … , − 3 , − 2, − 1 , 0 , 1 , 2 , 3 , … }

Th e s e t s of w h o l e an d na t u r a l nu m b e r s ar e s u b s e t s o f t h e i n t e g e r s ’ s e t .

R a t i o n a l nu m b e r s ar e nu m b e r s i n t h e fo r m o f ab , w h e r e b i s no n ze r o , an d a an d b ar e

in t e g e r s . Th e y ’ re de n o t e d as Q an d b i s no n z e r o . De c i m a l s t h a t t e r m i n a t e o r re p e a t ar e

ra t i o n a l .

0 . 7 = 7 1 0 AN D 0 . 3 = 0 . 3 3 3 3 ⋯ = 1 3

Ir r a t i o n a l nu m b e r s ar e nu m b e r s t h a t ca n ’ t be w r i t t e n i n th e fo r m o f a ra t i o of t w o i n t e g e r s .

N o n - r e p e a t i n g , no n - t e r m i n a t i n g de c i m a l s ar e i r r a t i o n a l .

π =3 . 1 4 1 5 9 … AN D 2 = 1 . 4 1 4 2 1 …

Th e s e t of re a l nu m b e r s i s a s e t co n t a i n i n g al l ra t i o n a l nu m b e r s an d al l i r r a t i o n a l nu m b e r s .

It ’ s de n o t e d as R . S o , al l t h e s e t s di s c u s s e d ab o v e ar e s u b s e t s of t h e s e t o f re a l nu m b e r s .

Yo u ca n e x t e n d re a l nu m b e r s by ad d i n g t h e im a g i n a r y nu m b e r i , w h i c h is e q u a l t o s q r t ( - 1 ) (-

1 ) . Mo r e o v e r , nu m b e r s i n th e fo r m o f x+ i y , w h e r e x an d y ar e bo t h re a l , al s o fo r m a fi e l d ,

an d ar e ca l l e d co m p l e x nu m b e r s . An o t h e r e x t e n s i o n i s th e s u r r e a l nu m b e r s t h a t i n c l u d e

bo t h t h e i n f i n i t e or d i n a l nu m b e r s o f G e o r g Ca n t o r an d re a l nu m b e r s .

Re l a t e d R e a d : ht t p s : / / m y t u t o r s o u r c e . c o m / b l o g / h o w - m t s - t u t o r s - c a n - h e l p - y o u - i n - i m p r o v i n g -

yo u r - m a t h e m a t i c s /

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Real Numbers Examples

 N a t u r a l nu m b e r s {1 , 2 , 3 , … }

 Wh o l e nu m b e r s {0 , 1 , 2 , 3 , … }

 In t e g e r s

 De c i m a l nu m b e r s

 R a t i o n a l nu m b e r s

 Ir r a t i o n a l nu m b e r s

 In t e g e r s Z { … , -2 , -1 , 0 , 1 , 2 , … }

 3/5

 10.3

 0.6

 12/5

 3.46466466646666 …

 √ 2

 √ 3 ar e a fe w e x a m p l e s of re a l nu m b e r s .

Properties of Real Numbers Definition

Le t ’ s de f i n e t h e pr o p e r t i e s of re a l nu m b e r s :

Closure Property

Th e pr o d u c t an d s u m o f t w o re a l nu m b e r s is al w a y s an o t h e r re a l nu m b e r .

Fo r al l a, b ∈ R , a + b ∈ R , an d ab ∈ R

Associative Property

Th e pr o d u c t or su m o r an y t h r e e re a l nu m b e r s re m a i n s th e s a m e no ma t t e r ho w yo u ch a n g e

th e i r g r o u p i n g .

Fo r al l a, b , c ∈ R , a + (b + c) = (a + b) + c an d a × (b × c) = (a × b) × c

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Commutative Property

Th e pr o d u c t or s u m o f t w o re a l nu m b e r s re m a i n s t h e s a m e no ma t t e r ho w yo u i n t e r c h a n g e

th e i r or d e r .

Fo r al l a, b ∈ R , a + b = b + a an d a × b = b × a

Distributive Property

Th e di s t r i b u t i v e pr o p e r t y o f mu l t i p l i c a t i o n ov e r s u b t r a c t i o n is a × (b – c) = (a × b) – (a × c)

w h i l e th e di s t r i b u t i v e pr o p e r t y o f mu l t i p l i c a t i o n o v e r ad d i t i o n is is a × (b + c) = (a × b) + (a

× c) .

Number Line

A re a l nu m b e r li n e le t s yo u di s p l a y re a l nu m b e r s o n a li n e by li n k i n g t h e m t o un i q u e po i n t s .

Th e re a l nu m b e r l i n k e d t o a po i n t is kn o w n as a co o r d i n a t e . Wh i l e t h e po i n t on t h e l i n e

th a t is li n k e d t o a co o r d i n a t e i s kn o w n as i t s gr a p h .

To dr a w a re a l nu m b e r l i n e , yo u ne e d t o dr a w a ho r i z o n t a l l i n e t h a t ha s ar r o w s on it s bo t h

e n d s t h a t in d i c a t e t h a t t h e l i n e co n t i n u e s w i t h o u t bo u n d . Th e n ch o o s e a po i n t t o re p r e s e n t

th e ze r o . Th a t po i n t w i l l be ca l l e d t h e o r i g i n .

Ma r k co n s i s t e n t in t e r v a l s o n bo t h s i d e s o f t h e nu m b e r ze r o (o r i g i n ) an d la b e l e v e r y t i c k

ma r k (w h i c h re p r e s e n t s o n e un i t ) t o de f i n e yo u r s c a l e . P o s i t i v e re a l nu m b e r s ar e al w a y s

w r i t t e n o n th e ri g h t o f t h e o r i g i n an d t h e ne g a t i v e re a l nu m b e r s ar e w r i t t e n on t h e l e f t .

Th e o r i g i n i s ne i t h e r po s i t i v e no r ne g a t i v e .

H o w e v e r , t h e s c a l e do e s n ’ t al w a y s ha v e t o be o n e un i t . Ev e r y t i c k ca n re p r e s e n t t w o un i t s

or mo r e . Th e gr a p h o f e a c h re a l nu m b e r i s re p r e s e n t e d as a do t on th e nu m b e r li n e .

Ordering Real Numbers

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Wh e n yo u ’ v e t o or d e r re a l nu m b e r s on a nu m b e r l i n e , ma k e s u r e t h a t yo u pl a c e th e bi g g e r

nu m b e r t o t h e ri g h t of t h e s m a l l e r nu m b e r . F o r e x a m p l e , 2 0 i s gr e a t e r t h a n 6 , an d -2 i s

gr e a t e r th a n -7 .

Using Symbols

Sy m b o l s ar e us e d t o e f f e c t i v e l y s h o w t h e re l a t i o n s h i p s be t w e e n t h e nu m b e r s on t h e

nu m b e r li n e . Fo r i n s t a n c e :

 = is equal to

 ≠ i s no t e q u a l t o

 ≈ i s ap p r o x i m a t e l y e q u a l t o

Th e s e ca n be us e d in t h e fo l l o w i n g ma n n e r :

5 = 5

0 ≠ 5

π ≈ 3.145

Th e n co m e t h e s y m b o l s th a t re p r e s e n t an or d e r re l a t i o n s h i p be t w e e n re a l nu m b e r s , fo r

example:

 < Le s s t h a n

 > Greater than

 ≤ Le s s t h a n o r e q u a l t o

 ≥ Greater than or equal to

Th e s e ca n be us e d in t h e fo l l o w i n g ma n n e r :

− 1 2 0 is pl a c e d at t h e l e f t o f – 1 0 o n t h e re a l nu m b e r li n e , s o i t me a n s t h a t − 1 2 0 is le s s t h a n

– 1 0 . Yo u ca n w r i t e i t as :

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−120 < −10

Th e s y m b o l s < an d > ar e us e d t o s h o w st r i c t i n e q u a l i t i e s , w h i l e th e sy m b o l s ≤ an d ≥ ar e

us e d t o s h o w i n c l u s i v e i n e q u a l i t i e s . Yo u c a n u s e m o r e t h a n o n e s y m b o l i n c e r t a i n s i t u a t i o n s .

R e m e m b e r t h a t yo u ca n on l y us e t h e w o r d ‘ or ’ w h e n on e of t h e g i v e n co n d i t i o n s i s t r u e :

‘ e q u a l t o ’ o r ‘ le s s t h a n ’ , fo r e x a m p l e .

An Example

Cl a s s i f y e a c h g i v e n nu m b e r as ne g a t i v e or po s i t i v e an d as e i t h e r ir r a t i o n a l o r ra t i o n a l . Do e s

th e g i v e n nu m b e r li e t o t h e ri g h t or t h e le f t o f t h e ze r o o n t h e nu m b e r l i n e ?

ⓐ −103

ⓑ 5

ⓒ −289

ⓓ −6π

ⓔ 0.615384615384…

Solution

ⓐ − 1 0 3 i s ra t i o n a l , ne g a t i v e , an d l i e s on th e l e f t of t h e ze r o .

ⓑ 5 is i r r a t i o n a l , po s i t i v e , an d l i e s o n t h e ri g h t o f th e ze r o .

ⓒ − 2 8 9 = − 1 7 . It ’ s ra t i o n a l , ne g a t i v e , an d li e s o n t h e l e f t o f t h e ze r o .

ⓓ − 6 π i s ir r a t i o n a l , ne g a t i v e , an d l i e s o n t h e l e f t o f t h e ze r o .

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ⓔ 0 . 6 1 5 3 8 4 6 1 5 3 8 4 … i s po s i t i v e , ra t i o n a l , an d l i e s on t h e ri g h t o f t h e ze r o .

Is 7 a Real Number?

Ye s , 7 is a re a l nu m b e r . Th e nu m b e r 7 be l o n g s t o t h e s e t of na t u r a l nu m b e r s th a t al s o co m e

un d e r t h e re a l nu m b e r s .

Is Zero a Real or an Imaginary Number?

Ze r o i s bo t h a re a l nu m b e r an d an i m a g i n a r y nu m b e r . I m a g i n a r y nu m b e r s ar e ba s i c a l l y t h e

sq u a r e ro o t s of no n - p o s i t i v e re a l nu m b e r s . An d be c a u s e ze r o ca n al s o be co n s i d e r e d a no n -

po s i t i v e nu m b e r , he n c e , it co m p l e t e s t h e cr i t e r i a us e d t o de t e r m i n e an im a g i n a r y nu m b e r .

On th e o t h e r ha n d , ze r o i s al s o a ra t i o n a l nu m b e r be c a u s e it ca n be de f i n e d o n a nu m b e r

li n e . Th e r e f o r e , i t ’ s a re a l nu m b e r .

Th a t ’ s al l fo r yo u r Al g e b r a le s s o n ab o u t re a l nu m b e r s . B e s t o f lu c k !

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