LESSON 1: PRINCIPAL ROOTS AND IRRATIONAL NUMBERS

OBJECTIVES:
• defines principal root, rational and irrational numbers;
• describes principal root and tell whether they are rational or
irrational;
• differentiates between rational numbers and irrational
numbers carefully.

I. What happened
Hi! How are you today? Are you up for another
mathematics adventure? But, before you hop in for
today’s ride, let’s have a quick review on what we have
discussed and you have learned from yesterday’s lesson
about operations on rational number.

If a pizza is divided into 10 equal slices. Paul ate

𝟑 𝟏
𝟓
of 𝟐 of the pizza. What part of the whole pizza
did Paul eat?

Well done! You are indeed ready for today’s adventure.

Fasten your seatbelt and let’s speed up to the next topic
about the principal roots, rational and irrational
numbers!

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 PRE-ACTIVITIES/PRE-TEST:

A. Take a look at the unusual wall clock and answer the questions below:

1. Can you tell the time?

2. What time is shown in the wall clock?
3. What do you get when you take the √1? √9? √16? √81?
4. How will you describe the result?
5. Can you take the exact value of √130?

B. Using of Scientific Calculator

Use the 𝑛√ button of a Scientific Calculator to find the following values.

1. 6√64 2. 64√−16 3. 3√90 4. 5√−3125 5. √24

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II. What You Need to Know

DISCUSSION:

In this part of the lesson adventure, the square root of a number

is used to introduce a new set of numbers called the irrational
numbers. Take note of the two ways by which irrational
numbers are described and defined.

Taking the square root of a number is like doing the reverse

operation of squaring a number. For example, both 7 and -7
are square roots of 49 since 72 =49 and (−7)2 =49. Integers such
as 1, 4, 9, 16, 25 and 36 are called perfect squares.

Rational numbers such as 0.16, 4

and 4.84 are also, perfect
100
squares. Perfect squares are numbers that have rational
numbers as square roots. The square roots of perfect squares
are rational numbers while the square roots of numbers that are
not perfect squares are irrational numbers.

Any number that cannot be expressed as a quotient of two

integers is an irrational number. The numbers √2, π, and the
special number e are all irrational numbers. Decimal numbers
that are non-repeating and non-terminating are irrational
numbers.

On Principal nth Roots

Any number, say a, whose nth power (n, a positive integer), is b is

called the nth root of b. Consider the following: (-7)2 = 49, 24 =16 and
(-10)3 = -1000. This means that -7 is a 2nd or square root of 49, 2 is a 4th
root of 16 and -10 is a 3rd or cube root of -1000.

However, we are not simply interested in any n th root of a number;

we are more concerned about the principal n th root of a number.
The principal nth root of a positive number is the positive n th root. The
principal nth root of a negative number is the negative n th root if n is
odd. If n is even and the number is negative, the principal n th root is
not defined. The notation for the principal nth root of a number b is
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𝑛√𝑏. In this expression, n is the index and b is the radicand. The nth
roots are also called radicals.

Now, let us unlock pre-activity A to continue our adventure.

A. Wall clock
1. Can you tell the time? Yes
2. What time is shown in the wall clock? 1:30
3. What do you get when you take the √1? √9? √16? √81? 1, 3, 4, 9
4. How will you describe the result? They are all positive integers.
5. Can you take the exact value of √130? No

Classifying Principal nth Roots as Rational or Irrational Numbers To

determine whether a principal root is a rational or irrational number,
determine if the radicand is a perfect nth power or not. If it is, then
the root is rational. Otherwise, it is irrational.

It’s time to unlock pre-activity B.

B. Scientific Calculator

1. 6√64 = 2 (rational)

2. 64√−16 Math Error, which means undefined (not rational nor

irrational)

3. 3√90 = 4.481404747, which could mean non-terminating and

non-repeating since the calculator screen has a limited size
(irrational)

4. 5√−3125 = -5 (rational)

5. √24 = 4.898979486, which could mean non-terminating and

non- repeating since the calculator screen has a limited size
(irrational)

Activity C. Tell whether the principal root of each number is rational

or irrational.
a. 3√225 b. √0.04 c. 5√−111 d. √10000 e. 4√625

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 Answers:

a. 3√225 = is irrational b. √0.04 = 0.2 is rational c. 5√−111 = is irrational

d. √10000 = 100 is rational e. 4√625 = 5 is rational

III. What have I learned

EVALUATION/POST TEST:
Now that your mind is fully fueled with the lessons, complete the
adventure by answering the activities below. (Use scientific calculator)

Activity 1. Determine if the number is rational (R) or irrational (I).

1. 61 π 2. 42 3. √121 4. π 5. 1
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6. 2.13 7. 3√27 8. 155 9. 0.001 10. 0

Activity 2. Give the principal root of the following if it is rational.

Otherwise, write irrational.

1. √121 2. √25 3. √101 4. 5√−7776 5. 3√−0.008

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 LESSON 2: DETERMINING BETWEEN WHAT TWO INTEGERS THE SQUARE ROOT
OF A NUMBER

OBJECTIVE:
• recalls the definition of irrational numbers;
• differentiates a perfect integer square from principal square root;
• determines between what two integers the square root of a
number lies accurately.

I. What Happend

Activity 1: What numbers are beside me!

Find two consecutive integers between which the given square root lies.
An example is done for you.
Given Answers
Ex. √7 2 and 3
1. √15
2. √23
3. √35
4. √57
5. √72
6. √90
7. √113

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II. What You Need to Know

➢ What are irrational numbers?

Irrational numbers are numbers that cannot be expressed as a

quotient of two integers (fraction). √2, √3, √5 and 3√10 are
examples of irrational numbers.

In the case of irrational numbers, the square roots are non-

integers.

On the number line, the irrational numbers fill up the spaces

between the rational numbers to compose the complete set of
real numbers.

Some of the irrational numbers with their approximations are:

1. √2 = 1.414… 2. √3 = 1.732… 3. √6 = 2.449…

Square roots of these numbers can be estimated by looking

for the values between which the square root lies.

➢ How to determine two consecutive integers between which the

square root lies?

Study the examples below…

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Example 1: Find two consecutive integers between which √3 lies.
Solution: Since √1 = 1 and √4 = 2
Then √1 < √3 < √4
Therefore 1 < √3 < 2
Thus, √3 lies between 1 and 2.
Explanation:
1 is a perfect integer square and 1 is its principal square root. 4 is a
perfect square integer and 2 is its principal square root. Therefore,
√3 is between 1 and 2.

Example 2: Find two consecutive integers between which√17 lies.

Solution: Since √16 = 4 and √25 = 5

Then √16 < √17 < √25
Therefore 4 < √17 < 5
Thus, √17 lies between 4 and 5.
Explanation:
16 is a perfect integer square and 4 is its principal square root. 25 is
a perfect square integer and 5 is its principal square root.
Therefore, √17 is between 4 and 5.

Example 3: Find two consecutive integers between which √42 lies.

Solution: Since √36 = 6 and √49= 7
Then √36 < √42 < √49
Therefore 6 < √42 < 7
Thus, √42 lies between 6 and 7.
Explanation:
36 is a perfect integer square and 6 is its principal square root. 49 is
a perfect square integer and 7 is its principal square root.
Therefore, √42 is between 6 and 7.

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 Example 4:
Find two consecutive integers between which √89 lies.
Solution: Since √81 = 9 and √100= 10
Then √81 < √89 < √100
Therefore 9 < √89 < 10
Thus, √89 lies between 9 and 10.
Explanation:
81 is a perfect integer square and 9 is its principal square root. 100
is a perfect square integer and 10 is its principal square root.
Therefore, √89 is between 9 and 10.

III. What have I learned

Activity 2: Find the perfect pair?

Find two consecutive integers between which the given square root lies.

1) √10 2) √27 3) √45 4) √63 5) √88

6) √118 7) √136 8) √226 9) √301 10) √444

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