The Real Number System

Exercise 3.3.5
Prove that 𝟐 is not a rational number.

Solution
We prove by contradiction.

Suppose that 2 is a rational number.

𝑚
Then it can expressed as 2 = such that 𝑚, 𝑛 ∈ ℤ and have no common factors.
𝑛
𝑚 𝑚2
2 = ⇒2= ⇒ 𝑚2 = 2𝑛2
𝑛 𝑛2
⇒ 𝑚 is an even integer, since 2 is a factor of 𝑚2 .
2

⇒ 𝑚 is even and thus can be expressed as 𝑚 = 2𝑝 for some 𝑝 ∈ ℤ.

⇒ 2𝑝 2 = 2𝑛2 ⇒ 2𝑛2 = 4𝑝2 ⇒ 𝑛2 = 2𝑝2 .
⇒ 𝑛2 is even and so is 𝑛.
Therefore, 𝑛 can be expressed as 𝑛 = 2𝑞 for some q∈ ℤ.
𝑚 2𝑃
⇒ 2= =
𝑛 2𝑞
This is a contradiction to our assumption than 𝑚 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑛 have no common factors.
Hence 2 is not a rational number. ∎
 The Real Number System
3.4 Real Numbers
Definition 3.4.1
 The set of Real numbers is the union of all rational numbers and irrational numbers.
 i.e ℝ = ℚ ∪ ℚ𝑐
 Thus, this set completely fills up the number line.
Definition 3.4.2 [closure of arithmetic operations on ℝ]
∀ 𝑎, 𝑏 ∈ ℝ
i. 𝑎+𝑏 ∈ℝ
ii. 𝑎 − 𝑏 ∈ ℝ
iii. 𝑎 × 𝑏 ∈ ℝ
𝑎
iv. ∈ℝ
𝑏
Hence ℝ is closed under +, − ,× 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ÷.

Defition 3.4.3 [laws of arithmetic operations on ℝ]

a) ∀ 𝑘 ∈ ℝ,
i. 𝑘 + 0 = 𝑘, 0 is called the additive identity onℝ.
ii. 𝑘 × 1 = 𝑘, 1 is the multiplicative identity onℝ.
iii. 𝑘 + −𝑘 = 0, −𝑘 is the additive inverse of 𝑘.
1 1
iv. 𝑘 × = 1, is the multiplicative inverse of 𝑘 and vice versa.
𝑘 𝑘
 The Real Number System
b) Commutative law
∀𝑎, 𝑏 ∈ ℝ,
𝑎 + 𝑏 = 𝑏 + 𝑎; and
𝑎. 𝑏 = 𝑏. 𝑎

c) Distributive law
∀𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐 ∈ ℝ
𝑎. 𝑏 + 𝑐 = 𝑎. 𝑏 + 𝑎. 𝑐

d) Associative law
∀ 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐 ∈ ℝ
𝑎 + 𝑏 + 𝑐 = 𝑎 + 𝑏 + 𝑐 ; and
𝑎. 𝑏. 𝑐 = 𝑎. 𝑏 . 𝑐

e) For any 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐 ∈ ℝ

i. Either 𝑎 < 𝑏, 𝑎 = 𝑏, 𝑜𝑟 𝑎 > 𝑏

ii. If 𝑎 < 𝑏 and 𝑏 < 𝑐 then 𝑎 < 𝑐. (transitive law)
iii. If a< 𝑏 then 𝑎 + 𝑐 < 𝑏 + 𝑐. (cancellation law)
 The Real Number System
Definition 3.4.4 [Boundedness]
 A subset 𝑆 of the set ℝ is said to be bounded above if there exists 𝑘 ∈ ℝ such that ∀𝑥 ∈ 𝑆, 𝑥 ≤ 𝑘 (i.e if
every number in 𝑆 is less or equal to 𝑘. The number 𝑘 is called an upper bound of 𝑆.
 If no upper bound of 𝑆 is less than 𝑘, then 𝑘 is called the least upper bound (l.u.b) of 𝑺 or the
supremum of 𝑆.
 A subset 𝑆 of the set ℝ is said to be bounded below if there exists 𝑘 ∈ ℝ such that ∀𝑥 ∈ 𝑆, 𝑥 ≥ 𝑘 (i.e if
every number in 𝑆 is greater or equal to 𝑘. Then, the number 𝑘 is called a lower bound of 𝑆.
 If no lower bound of 𝑆 is greater than 𝑘, then 𝑘 is called the greatest lower bound (g.l.b) of 𝑺 or the
infimum of 𝑆.
 A set 𝑆 is said to be bounded if it is both bounded above and bounded below.

Definition 3.4.5 [Completeness axiom of ℝ]

The set ℝ is said to be complete if every non-empty subset of ℝ that is bounded above has a supremum
(least upper bound) while any subset of ℝ that is bounded below has an infimum (greatest lower bound).

Definition 3.4.6 [Absolute value]

𝑥, 𝑥 ≥ 0
The absolute value of a real number 𝑥 written as |𝑥| is defined by: 𝑥 =
−𝑥, 𝑥<0
Example
i. −5 = − −5 = 5
ii. |7| = 7
iii. |0| = 0
1 1 1
iv. = =
𝑥 𝑥 𝑥