Definition of Rational Number (有理數的定義)

𝑝
 Any number that can be expressed as the fraction (分數) ⁄𝑞 of two integers (整數),

a numerator (分子) p and a non-zero denominator (非零的分母) q.

 In other words, a number that can be made by dividing two integers. (An integer is a
number with no fractional part.)
 For examples, 0.1 (decimal 小數), 0. 3̇ (repeating / recurring decimal 循環小數),

1⁄ (fraction 分數), 5 (integer 整數), √4 ……

2
Definition of Irrational Number (無理數的定義)
 Any number that is not rational number.
 For examples, 𝜋 (圓周率), √2 (surd 不盡根), 𝑒 (Euler's number 歐拉數) ……

Convert recurring decimal (循環小數) into fraction (分數)：

1. Multiply the recurring decimal by a power of 10, i.e. 10𝑛 (n is a positive integer)
2. Subtract the recurring decimal from the product (積) above.
3. Divide the difference (差) above by (10𝑛 − 1). (P.S.分母是 9 的倍數)
E.g. 0. 3̇ × 1 − 0. 3̇ × 10 = 3. 3̇ − 0. 3̇
E.g. 0. 3̇ × 10 − 0. 3̇ × 1 = 3. 3̇ − 0. 3̇
E.g. 0. 3̇ × (10 − 1) = 3
3 1
∴ 0. 3̇ = =
9 3

Simplify the expression in surd form / Express surds in the simplest form (根式化簡)：
 What you need to do is prime factorization (質因數分解)
 E.g.1) √8 = √23 = √22 × 2 = √22 × √2 = 2√2
 E.g.2) √60 = √22 × 3 × 5 = √22 × √3 × 5 = 2√15

Rationalize the expression / Rationalization (有理化)

 Convert the denominator (分母) into rational number (有理數).
 In order to keep the original number (原數) unchanged (不變), you can ONLY
multiply the number by 1, which can be expressed as any fraction (numerator =
denominator).
Keys / Remainders：
 Somethings you learn before
 (𝑎 + 𝑏)(𝑎 − 𝑏) = 𝑎2 − 𝑏 2
 (𝑎 + 𝑏)2 = 𝑎2 + 2𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏2
 (𝑎 − 𝑏)2 = 𝑎2 − 2𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏2
 (𝑎𝑏)2 = 𝑎2 𝑏 2
 Somethings new
 √𝑎 × √𝑏 = √𝑎 × 𝑏 = √𝑎𝑏
√𝑎 𝑎
 =√
√𝑏 𝑏

2
 𝑎 = √𝑎 × √𝑎 = √𝑎2 = (√𝑎)

 √𝑎 is positive ONLY but the solution of 𝑎2 can be positive or negative

 𝑎2 ≮ 0 ≡ 𝑎2 ≥ 0 ⟹ √𝑎, where 𝑎 must be a non-negative number.
 The actual meaning of square root
1⁄
 √𝑛 = 𝑛 2 (The INDEX is equal to 1⁄2)

 Pythagoras Theorem / Pythagorean Theorem (畢氏定理) (Pyth. Thm.)

 Right-angled triangle 直角三角形
 𝑐 2 = 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 (𝑐 is hypotenuse 直角三角形的斜邊)

Some tips / hints about Rationalization：

𝑛 𝑛 𝑛 𝑛
= ×1 = ×1
√𝑎 − √𝑏 √𝑎 − √𝑏 √𝑎 + √𝑏 √𝑎 + √𝑏
𝑛 𝑛 √𝑎 + √𝑏 𝑛 𝑛 √𝑎 − √𝑏
= × = ×
√𝑎 − √𝑏 √𝑎 − √𝑏 √𝑎 + √𝑏 √𝑎 − √𝑏 √𝑎 + √𝑏 √𝑎 − √𝑏

𝑛 𝑛(√𝑎 + √𝑏 ) 𝑛 𝑛(√𝑎 − √𝑏 )
= =
√𝑎 − √𝑏 𝑎 − √𝑏 √𝑎 − √𝑏 𝑎 + √𝑏