The Number System

Rational and
Irrational Numbers
Learning Outcomes

1 2
Determines between
Describes principal roots
what two consecutive
and tells whether they
integers a square root of
are rational or irrational
a number lies
 Another example
of Rational Numbers

Perfect Square
-product of
multiplying
equal numbers
Perfect Square
(-3)(-3) = 9
(-8)(-8) = 64
(-13)(-13) = 169
SQUARE ROOT Square root of a number is a value,
which on multiplication by itself,
√ gives the original number.
The square root is an inverse
method of squaring a number.
PRINCIPAL ROOT OF A NUMBER
-is the positive square root of a number. It can be rational
Or irrational.

Examples
= 3 or -3
Principal root is 3
= 4 or -4
Principal root is 4
= 10 or -10
Principal root is 10
Try This! Give the principal root.

1. 5.
2. 6.
3.
4.
Another examples of
Irrational number
-non perfect square
-non repeating
and
Non-terminating
decimals
PRINCIPAL ROOT OF IRRATIONAL NUMBER
-two consecutive integers of each irrational numbers

Examples
√ 30
√ 25< √ 30< √ 36
5

√30𝑖𝑠𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛5𝑎𝑛𝑑6
PRINCIPAL ROOT OF IRRATIONAL NUMBER
-two consecutive integers of each irrational numbers

Examples
√ 163
√ 144 < √ 163< √ 169
12

√163𝑖𝑠𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛12𝑎𝑛𝑑13
PRINCIPAL ROOT OF IRRATIONAL NUMBER
-two consecutive integers of each irrational numbers

Examples
− √ 73
− √ 6 4 <− √ 73< − √ 81
-9
− √ 7 3𝑖𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛− 8 𝑎𝑛𝑑 − 9
Rational and Irrational Numbers

Rational numbers Irrational numbers

A number is rational if it can be Irrational numbers cannot be
expressed as a fraction. It includes expressed as a simple fraction.
positive and negative numbers When written as a decimal, they

_
including 0. are non recurring and do not
terminate.

- .
S
E
A
T
W
O
R
k
 Approximating Irrational Numbers
Approximate the value of √ 6

√4 √6 √9

2 ≈2.4 3

By looking at consecutive square numbers close to 6, you√ can estimate its value
to be between 2 and 3.
 Approximating Irrational Numbers
Approximate the value of √6 to the nearest hundredth

2.4 2.5 5.76 √6 6.25

× 2.4 × 2.5 2 2
96 125 2.4 ≈2.45 2.5
480 500
576 625
Squaring both numbers shows that 6
= 5.76 = 6.25 √
is approximately half way between
2.4 and 2.5, therefore a reasonable
Square the estimate of 2.4 to Square 2.5 to see how estimate to the nearest hundredth
see how close it is to 6. close it is to 6. would be 2.45.
 Practice Questions

5 between.
1 Locate the two integers which √ lies

Which letter on the number line best

2 A B C
represents the value of √ ? 7 3
2

Which is the best estimate for the

3 A 2.6 B 2.8 C 2.7
value of √ 7to the nearest tenth ?
 Solutions

5 between.
1 Locate the two integers which √ lies 2 and 3

Which letter on the number line best

2 A B C
represents the value of √ ? 7 3
2
B

Which is the best estimate for the

3 A 2.6 B 2.8 C 2.7
value of √ 7to the nearest tenth ?
 Challenge
1 Which is the best estimate for the value of √ to82
the
nearest hundredth? A 9.10 B 9.06 C 9.05

2 Write down the approximate value of 2π to the nearest

hundredth?

Write down the approximate value of 2√ to3the nearest

3
hundredth?
 Solutions
1 Which is the best estimate for the value of √ to82
the
nearest hundredth? A 9.10 B 9.06 C 9.05

2 Write down the approximate value of 2π to the nearest

hundredth? 6.28

Write down the approximate value of 2√ to3the nearest

3
hundredth?
3.46
Resource Page