Rational vs. Irrational numbers. What's the diff?

[Scrapster]

I forgot.

 

[hendon]

Rational numbers are those that can be expressed as a ratio of 2 integers.. like 1/2, 4/234, 151/14314, etc..

Irrational numbers are the other reals that can't.. like pi, sqrt(2), sqrt(3), e, etc...

 

[Hanpan]

Rational numbers terminate or reapet using a pattern. ANy rational number as stated by hendon can be express as a/b where a and b are intergers and b does not equal 0. Just an interesting fact. IT is believed that there are infinatly more irational than rational numbers.

 

[Scrapster]

Right. f(x,y) = y/x is a rational function and continuous, except on the line x = 0.

 

[pamchenko]

hanpan, that sounds interesting, but how could u compare the amount of rational vs irrational numbers since they're both infinite ... I woulda used the term "infinite sets" but isn't a set bounded? hrm...I wish i took more math class.