Pre-Algebra : Number Theory

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Pre-Algebra

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Irrational Numbers

Which of the following is closest to the value of the expression  ?

Possible Answers:

The expression is undefined in the real numbers.

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Since 

.

We can determine which is closer by evaluating .

Since , 9 is the closer integer, and it is the correct choice.

 

Example Question #1 : Understand The Difference Between Rational And Irrational Numbers: Ccss.Math.Content.8.Ns.A.1

Which of the following represents an irrational number?

Possible Answers:

All of the answers are irrational

Correct answer:

Explanation:

 

Pi is the only irrational number listed. Irrational numbers are in the form of infinite non-repeating decimals. 

Example Question #2 : The Number System

Which of the following is not an irrational number?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

A root of an integer is one of two things, an integer or an irrational number. By testing all five on a calculator, only  comes up an exact integer - 5. This is the correct choice.

Example Question #1 : Irrational Numbers

Which of the following numbers is an irrational number?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

An irrational number  is one that cannot be written as a fraction. All integers are rational numberes.

Repeating decimals are never irrational,  can be eliminated because

.

  and  are perfect squares making them both integers.

Therefore, the only remaining answer is .

Example Question #1 : Irrational Numbers

Which of the following is an irrational number?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

A rational number can be expressed as a fraction of integers, while an irrational number cannot.  

can be written as .   

 is simply , which is a rational number.  

The number  can be rewritten as a fraction of whole numbers, , which makes it a rational number.  

is also a rational number because it is a ratio of whole numbers.  

The number, , on the other hand, is irrational, since it has an irregular sequence of numbers (...) that cannot be written as a fraction.

Example Question #2 : The Number System

Which of the following is an irrational number?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

An irrational number is any number that cannot be written as a fraction of whole numbers.  The number pi and square roots of non-perfect squares are examples of irrational numbers.  

 can be written as the fraction .  The term  is a whole number.  The square root of  is , also a rational number. , however, is not a perfect square, and its square root, therefore, is irrational.

Example Question #3 : The Number System

Of the following, which is a rational number?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

A rational number is any number that can be expressed as a fraction/ratio, with both the numerator and denominator being integers. The one limitation to this definition is that the denominator cannot be equal to .

 

Using the above definition, we see  ,  and   (which is ) cannot be expressed as fractions. These are non-terminating numbers that are not repeating, meaning the decimal has no pattern and constantly changes. When a decimal is non-terminating and constantly changes, it cannot be expressed as a fraction.

  is the correct answer because , which can be expressed as , fullfilling our above defintion of a rational number. 

Example Question #4 : The Number System

Of the following, which is an irrational number?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The definition of an irrational number is a number which cannot be expressed in a simple fraction, or a number that is not rational.

 

Using the above definition, we see that  is already expressed as a simple fraction.

 

  any number  and

. All of these options can be expressed as simple fractions, making them all rational numbers, and the incorrect answers.

 

  cannot be expressed as a simple fraction and is equal to a non-terminating, non-repeating (ever-changing) decimal, begining with 

This is an irrational number and our correct answer.

Example Question #2 : Irrational Numbers

What do you get when you multiply two irrational numbers?

Possible Answers:

Sometimes irrational, sometimes rational.

Always irrational.

Imaginary numbers.

Integers.

Always rational.

Correct answer:

Sometimes irrational, sometimes rational.

Explanation:

Let's take two irrationals like  and multiply them. The answer is  which is rational.

 

But what if we took the product of  and . We would get  which doesn't have a definite value and can't be expressed as a fraction.

This makes it irrational and therefore, the answer is sometimes irrational, sometimes rational. 

Example Question #5 : The Number System

Which of the following is NOT an irrational number?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Rational numbers are those which can be written as a ratio of two integers, or simply, as a fraction.

The solution of  is , which can be written as . Each of the other answers would have a solution with an infinite number of decimal points, and therefore cannot be written as a simple ratio. They are irrational numbers. 

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