MODULE 1.

1: The
Real Number
System
ENGR. RENATO F. CRUZ JR, MBA
Real Numbers
• Real numbers can be defined as the union of both
the rational and irrational numbers. They can be both
positive or negative and are denoted by the symbol
“R”. All the natural numbers, decimals and fractions
come under this category.
• The set of real numbers consist of different
categories, such as natural and whole numbers,
integers, rational and irrational numbers.
Category Definition Example
Contain all
All numbers such
Natural counting numbers
as 1, 2, 3,
Numbers which start from 1.
4,5,6,…..…
N = {1,2,3,4,……}
Collection of zero All numbers
Whole and natural including 0 such
Numbers number. as 0, 1, 2, 3,
W = {0,1,2,3,…..} 4,5,6,…..…
The collective
Includes: -infinity
result of whole
(-∞),……..-4, -3, -2,
Integers numbers and
-1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4,
negative of all
……+infinity (+∞)
natural numbers.
 Numbers that Examples of
Rational can be written in rational numbers
Numbers the form of p/q, are ½, 5/4 and
where q≠0. 12/6 etc.
All the numbers
Irrational numbers
which are not
are non-
Irrational rational and
terminating and
Numbers cannot be written
non-repeating in
in the form of
nature like √2
p/q.
 EXAMPLES

Classify the following real numbers:

1.999
6
2. −
5
3. −6/3
4. √25
5. √3
 ANSWERS
1. 999 is a whole number, a natural number, an integer and
a rational number
6
2. − is a ratio of two integers, so it is a rational number
5
3. −6/3 equals -2, so it is an integer and a rational number
4. √25 equals 5, so it is a a whole number, a natural
number, an integer and a rational number
5. √3 is a nonrepeating decimal, so it is an irrational
number
 Properties of Real Numbers

The four main properties of real numbers are:

1. Commutative property
2. Associative property
3. Distributive property
4. Identity property.
Commutative Property
If m and n are the numbers, then the general form will be
m + n = n + m for addition and m.n = n.m for multiplication.
Addition: m + n = n + m.
For example, 5 + 3 = 3 + 5, 2 + 4 = 4 + 2
Multiplication: m × n = n × m.
For example, 5 × 3 = 3 × 5, 2 × 4 = 4 × 2
Associative Property
If m, n and r are the numbers. The general form will be
m + (n + r) = (m + n) + r for addition(mn)
r = m (nr) for multiplication.
Addition: The general form will be m + (n + r) = (m + n) + r.
10 + (3 + 2) = (10 + 3) + 2.
Multiplication: (mn) r = m (nr).
(2 × 3) 4 = 2 (3 × 4).
Distributive Property

For three numbers m, n, and r, which are real in nature, the

distributive property is represented as:
m (n + r) = mn + mr and (m + n) r = mr + nr

5(2 + 3) = 5 × 2 + 5 × 3. Here, both sides will yield 25.

Identity Property

There are additive and multiplicative identities.

For addition: m + 0 = m. (0 is the additive identity)
For multiplication: m × 1 = 1 × m = m. (1 is the
multiplicative identity)
Quick Review on The Rules of Using Positive and
Negative Integers
• adding two positive integers: 5 + 4 = 9
• sum of two negative integers: (–7) + (–2) = -9
• To get the sum of a negative and a positive number, use the sign
of the larger number and subtract:
(–7) + 4 = –3
6 + (–9) = –3
(–3) + 7 = 4
5 + (–3) = 2
Subtraction
• if you were to subtract a positive integer from a negative one, the
calculation becomes a matter of addition (with the addition of a
negative value):
(–5) – 3 = –5 + (–3) = –8
• If you're subtracting negatives from positives, the two negatives cancel
out and it becomes addition:
5 – (–3) = 5 + 3 = 8
• If you're subtracting a negative from another negative integer, use the
sign of the larger number and subtract:
(–5) – (–3) = (–5) + 3 = –2
(–3) – (–5) = (–3) + 5 = 2
Multiplication
• If both integers are either positive or negative, the total will always be
a positive number
3x2=6
(–2) x (–8) = 16
• However, if you are multiplying a positive integer and a negative one,
the result will always be a negative number:
(–3) x 4 = –12
3 x (–4) = –12
Division
• As with multiplication, the rules for dividing integers follow the same
positive/negative guide. Dividing two negatives or two positives yields
a positive number:
12 / 3 = 4
(–12) / (–3) = 4
• Dividing one negative integer and one positive integer results in a
negative number:
(–12) / 3 = –4
12 / (–3) = –4
ORDER OF OPERATIONS
• Operations in mathematical expressions must be
evaluated in a systematic order, which can be simplified
using the acronym PEMDAS:
P(arentheses)
E(xponents)
M(ultiplication) and D(ivision)
A(ddition) and S(ubtraction)
 Examples
Evaluate: (3⋅2)2−4(6+2)
Solution:
=(6)2−4(8) Simplify parentheses
=36−4(8) Simplify exponent
=36−32 Simplify multiplication
=4 Simplify subtraction
Evaluate: 7(5⋅3)−2[(6−3)−42]+1
Solution:
=7(15)−2[(3)−42]+1 Simplify inside parentheses
=7(15)−2(3−16)+1 Simplify exponent
=105+26+1 Multiply
=132 Add
 Real Number Line
• The real numbers can be visualized on a horizontal number line
with an arbitrary point chosen as 0, with negative numbers to the
left of 0 and positive numbers to the right of 0. A fixed unit
distance is then used to mark off each integer (or other basic
value) on either side of 0. Any real number corresponds to a
unique position on the number line
 MODULE 1.2:
Laws of Exponents
ENGR. RENATO F. CRUZ JR, MBA
 What are Exponents?

• Exponents are used to show repeated multiplication of a

number by itself. For example, 7 × 7 × 7 can be represented
as 73. Here, the exponent is ‘3’ which stands for the number
of times the number 7 is multiplied. 7 is the base here which
is the actual number that is getting multiplied. So
basically exponents or powers denotes the number of times
a number can be multiplied.
 Rules of Exponents
• am×an = am+n
• am/an = am-n
• (am)n = amn
• an/bn = (a/b)n
• a0 = 1
• a-m = 1/am
• a1/n = n √a
 Product With the Same Bases
As per this law, for any non-zero term a,
am×an = am+n
where m and n are real numbers.
Example 1: What is the simplification of 55 × 51 ?
Solution: 55 × 51 = 55+1 = 56
Example 2: What is the simplification of (−6)-4 × (−6)-7?
Solution: (−6)-4 × (−6)-7 = (-6)-4-7 = (-6)-11
 Quotient with Same Bases
As per this rule,
am/an = am-n
where a is a non-zero term and m and n are integers.
Example 3: Find the value when 105 is divided by 103.
Solution: As per the question;
105/103
= 105-3
= 102
= 100
 Power Raised to a Power
According to this law, if ‘a’ is the base, then the power raised
to the power of base ‘a’ gives the product of the powers raised
to the base ‘a’, such as;
(am)n = amn
where a is a non-zero term and m and n are integers.
Example 4: Verify if 29 is equal to (23)3.
Solution: We have, (2×2×2)3 = 83 = 8x8x8 = 512
Then, 29 = 2×2×2×2×2×2×2×2×2 = 512
 Product to a Power
As per this rule, for two or more different bases, if the power is
same, then;
an bn = (ab)n
where a is a non-zero term and n is the integer.
Example 5: Verify if: 22 x 52 = (2 x 5)2
Solution: 22 x 52 = 4 x 25 = 100
Then (2 × 5)2 = 102 = 100
 Quotient to a Power
As per this law, the fraction of two different bases with the
same power is represented as;
an/bn = (a/b)n
where a and b are non-zero terms and n is an integer.
Example 6: Simplify the expression and find the value:152/52
Solution: We can write the given expression as;
(15/5)2= 32 = 9
 Zero Power
According to this rule, when the power of any integer is zero,
then its value is equal to 1, such as;
a0 = 1
where ‘a’ is any non-zero term.
Example 7: What is the value of 50 + 22 + 40 + 71 – 31 ?
Solution: 50 + 22 + 40 + 71 – 31 = 1+4+1+7-3= 10
 Negative Exponent Rule
According to this rule, if the exponent is negative, we can change the exponent
into positive by writing the same value in the denominator and the numerator
holds the value 1.
The negative exponent rule is given as:
a-m = 1/am
Example 8: Find the value of 2-2
Solution:
Here, the exponent is a negative value (i.e., -2)
Thus, 2-2 can be written as 1/22
2-2 = 1/22
2-2 = 1/4
In other words, we can say that, if “a” is a non-zero number or non-zero rational
number, we can say that a-m is the reciprocal of am.
 Fractional Exponent Rule
The fractional exponent rule is used, if the exponent is in the fractional form.
The fractional exponent rule is given by:
am/n = n √am
Here, a is called the base, and m/n is the exponent, which is in the fractional
form. Thus, a1/n is said to be the nth root of a.
Example 9: Simplify: 41/2
Solution:
Here, the exponent is in fractional form. (i.e., ½)
According to the fractional exponent rule, 41/2 can be written as √4
(i.e.,) 41/2 = √4
41/2 = 2 (As, the square root of 4 is 2)
Hence, the simplified form of 41/2 is 2.