NOTE

M A T H E M A T I C S

NUMBER SYSTEMS
INTRODUCTION TO NUMBER SYSTEMS

What you will learn

• Hierarchy in the number system.

• Representation of numbers on the number line.

Number System

Number system is a system to represent numbers. Some of the common number systems
are the decimal number system, binary number system, and octal number system.

Decimal number system

Number system containing 10 digits such as { 0, 1, 2, 3….9 }

Natural numbers

Numbers which are used for counting are called natural numbers. They are denoted by N.
N = { 1, 2, 3… }

Whole numbers

When ‘zero’ is included in the set of natural numbers, it comprises a set of whole numbers.
It is denoted by W.
W = { 0, 1, 2, 3… }

Integer

All the natural numbers, the negative of all natural numbers and zero comprise the set of
integers.
It is denoted by I or Z.
I = {… -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3,... } Positive integers (I+) = { 1, 2, 3… }
Negative integers (I-) = {… -3, -2, -1 } Non negative integers = { 0, 1, 2, 3… }
Non-positive integers = {… -3, -2, -1, 0 }

Note : All positive integers are natural numbers.

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Types of integers
Even number

All the integers which are multiples of 2 are called even numbers.
Examples : 2, 4, 6, 8…
All even integers can be written in the form of (2n) where n can be any integer.

Odd number
All the integers which are not divisible by 2 are called odd numbers.
Example : 1, 3, 5, 7…
All odd numbers can be written in the form of (2n + 1) or (2n - 1), where n is an integer.

Algebra of odd and even numbers

(Even) + (Even) = Even (Even) - (Even) = Even

(Even) × (Even) = Even (Even) / (Even) = can not be determined
(odd) + (odd) = Even (odd) - (odd) = Even
(odd) × (odd) = odd (odd) / (odd) = can not be determined
(odd) + (even) = odd (odd) × (even) = Even

Prime numbers

Prime numbers are integers greater than one with no positive divisors besides one and
itself. In other words, a prime number is any natural number which has exactly two factors,
one and itself.
Examples : 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17...

2 is the only even prime number.

Composite numbers
All natural numbers which have more than two factors or which are multiples of more than
two numbers.
Examples : 4, 6, 8, 9, 10…

Note

4 is the smallest composite number.

Factors

A factor is a number that divides another number exactly, without leaving a remainder.

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Quick Query 1

Find factors of the following numbers:

(a) 4 (b) 15 (c) 13 (d) 21

Quick Query 2

Identify the prime numbers from the following:

(a) 17 (b) 21 (c) 23 (d) 39 (e) 41

•Step 1: First find the factors of the given number.

•Step 2: Check the number of factors of that number.
•Step 3: If the number of factors is more than two, it is not a prime number.

Determine whether 673 is a prime number or not.

Solution:
Step 1:
Take approximate value of nearby square root. √673 ⋍ 26
Step 2:
Check the divisibility by the prime numbers up to the square root.
i.e. 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23
Step 3:
Since 673 is not divisible by the given prime numbers, it is a prime number.

Quick Query 3

Determine whether 143 is a prime number or not.

Co-prime numbers

Co-prime numbers are the set of numbers which have their highest common factor as 1.
Examples:
(25, 13), (3, 4), (16, 25)... are co-prime numbers
But (21, 33) are not co-prime numbers as they have 3 as their common factor.
Note : Co-prime numbers are also known as relatively prime or mutually prime numbers.

Pairwise prime number

A list of integers is Pairwise relatively prime if every pair of the numbers in the list are relatively
Prime number. For example ; {8,13,27} ;
(8,13) HCF = 1 (13,27) HCF = 1 (8,27) HCF = 1
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Twin Prime Numbers

A pair of prime numbers differing by 2 are called twin prime numbers.

Example: (3, 5), (5, 7), (11, 13) and so on…

Rational Number

All the numbers which can be expressed in p form , where p and q both are integers and q
q
is not equal to zero.( i.e. where q ≠ 0 and p, q ∈ Z )

Examples:
2 , 1 , 3 , ...
3 2 5
Rational numbers can be in decimal form also, for example
1.5 , 2.6, 1.234, 3.14, 2.71. They can be converted in the p/q form.

Rational numbers of non-terminating and repeating decimal type:

Examples:
1 = 0.333333333… (non-terminating and repeating decimal)
3
2 = 0.6666666666… (non-terminating and repeating decimal)
3
5 = 1.666666666… (non-terminating and repeating decimal)
3

Irrational Number

•An irrational number is a number that cannot be expressed as a fraction with integer in
numerator and denominator.
•Irrational numbers have decimal expansions that are neither terminating nor periodic.
•Representation of irrational number is Q’.

Examples : √2, √3, √5 ,...

Or it can be expressed in decimal form also
Examples: 1.123124125… (non-terminating and non-repeating)
√2 = 1.4142… (non-terminating and non-repeating)
e = 2.718… (non-terminating and non-repeating)

Quick Query 4

Determine whether the following are rational or irrational numbers.

(a) 2.123121… (b) 3.141516… (c) 3.1415
(d) 2.7186 (e) 3.233333… (f) 1.732050...

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Note

1. π and e, both are irrational numbers , π and 22 are not actually equal.
7
2. Every non-terminating and repeating decimal number can be converted into the p form.
q
3. Square root of any prime number is always an irrational number.
4. Number in the form of abcde… is a rational number if the digits after the decimal
point repeat periodically.
5. Number in the form of abcde… is irrational if the digits after the decimal point are
non-repeating and non-terminating.

Some important results:

(a) 𝝅 ≈ 1.57 (b) 𝝅 ≈ 3.14 (c) 𝝅2 ≈ 9.86 (d) 𝝅 > 𝟏
2 3

Real Number
The set of rational and irrational numbers comprise the set of real numbers. It is denoted by
R = ( -∞ , ∞ )
The set of all positive real numbers is denoted by R+
The set of all negative real numbers is denoted by R-
R0 = R - {0}

Representation of a real number on number line

Representation of integers, rational numbers, and irrational numbers on number line:

Natural Numbers N Start with the counting numbers (zero may be included).

0 1 2 3

Integers Z Extend the line backwards to inclue the negatives.

-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3

Rational Numbers Q Insert all the fractions.

-2 34 -1 13 -1
2
1
2 1 13 234

-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3

Real Algebraic, AR Insert all the roots.

-√5 -√2 -1 1 √2 √5
2 2

-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3

Real R Fill in all the numbers to make a continuous line.

-𝝅 -e -√2 -1 1 e -𝝅
2 2

-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
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How do we represent √2 on a number line?

Solution:
A 1 B
-2 -1 0 1 2
In △BDC ,
1 1
2

Applying Pythogoras theorem,

√

BD2 = BC2 + CD2 = 12 + 12 = 1 + 1 = 2

∴ BD = √2
D 1 C

1
A B

1 1

2
√
D C
1
-2 -1 0 1 √2 √3

Representation of intervals on the number line

Notation of x belonging to a to b; given a < b

Case 1. When both a and b are included
x ∈ [a,b]
Case 2. When both a and b are excluded
x ∈ (a,b)
Case 3. When a is included but b is excluded
x ∈ [a,b)
Case 4. When a is excluded but b is included
x ∈ (a,b]
Note : [ ] - used for inclusion, ( ) - used for exclusion

Inequality vs. Interval Notation

x>5 (5,∞)
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

x≥5 [5,∞)
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

x<5 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ( -∞, 5 )

x≤5
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ( -∞, 5 ]

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1 <x < 5 (1,5)

-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1≤x<5 [1,5)
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1<x≤5 (1,5]
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1≤x≤5 [1,5]
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

x < 1 or x > 5 ( -∞, 1 ) U (5 , ∞)

-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

x ≤ 1 or x > 5 ( -∞, 1 ] U (5 , ∞)
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

x < 1 or x ≥ 5 ( -∞, 1 ) U [5 , ∞)
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

x ≤ 1 or x ≥ 5 ( -∞, 1 ] U [5 , ∞)
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Note : solid circle is used for closed interval (inclusion)

: hollow circle is used for open interval (exclusion)

Complex Number
A complex number is a number of the form a + bi, where a and b are real numbers and i is
an indeterminate satisfying i2 = −1.

Examples :
•3 + 4i, a = 3, and b = 4 •-2i, a = 0, and b = -2 •2, a =2, and b = 0

Concept Check

(1) Is 83 a prime number?

(2) Is 181 a prime number?
(3) Find all prime numbers less than 50.

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Self-Assessment

(1) Is 127 a prime number?

(2) Find the sum of all the odd numbers from 0 to 30.
(3) Find the average of all natural numbers less than 100.
(4) Find the average of all rational numbers between 2.25 to 5.75.
(5) Find the number of zeroes in N, if N is a product of all prime numbers less than 100.

Summary

Complex Numbers

Imaginary
real
roots of negative numbers i

irrational
rational
√2,𝝅

fractions integers ...-3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3...

1 3 127
2 4 942 whole numbers 0, 1, 2, 3...

natural numbers 1, 2, 3...

Key Takeaways

•N ⊂ I ⊂ Q ⊂ R ⊂ C , i.e the set of natural numbers is a subset of the set of integers. The
set of integers is a subset of the set of rational numbers. The set of rational numbers is a
subset of the set of real numbers and the set of real numbers is a subset of the set of
complex numbers.
•Zero is neither a negative nor a positive number.
•2 is the smallest and the only even prime number.
•4 is the smallest composite number.
•3, 5, 7 are the only three consecutive odd prime numbers.
•Co-prime numbers have only one common factor that is 1.
•Twin prime numbers are those prime numbers whose difference is 2.
•Square root of any prime number is always an irrational number.
•𝝅 and 22 are approximately equal not exactly, 𝝅 is an irrational number.
7

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Mind map

Decimal Number
System

Natural Whole Rational Irrational

Integers
Numbers Numbers Numbers Numbers

Complex
Real Numbers
Numbers

even prime

odd Composite

Representation
of Numbers on
number line

open interval closed interval inequalities

Answers

Quick Query 1
(a) 4 = 2 × 2 ⇒ (1, 2, 4) (b) 15 = 3 × 5 ⇒ (1, 3, 5, 15)
(c) 13 = 1 × 16 ⇒ (1, 13) (d) 21 = 3 × 7 ⇒ (1, 3, 7, 21)

Quick Query 2
(a) 17 Prime Number (b) 21 Not a Prime Number
(c) 23 Prime Number (d) 39 Not a Prime Number
(e) 41 Prime Number

Quick Query 3
143 < 144
143 < 122
∴ Prime number less than 12 are 2, 3, 5, 7, 11
143 is not multiple of any of the above numbers, so 143 is a prime number

Quickquery 4
(a) irrational (b) irrational
(c) rational (d) rational
(e) rational (f) irrational

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Concept Check :

(1) Check the nearest greater perfect square.

83 < 100 Prime numbers smaller than 10 are 2, 3, 5, 7
Check divisibility of 83 with 2, 3, 5, 7
Since 83 is not a multiple of any given number, so 83 is a prime number.

(2) Check the nearest greater perfect square.

181 < 142
Prime numbers smaller than 14 are 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13.
181 is not a multiple of these numbers.
Hence, 181 is a prime number.

(3) Prime numbers less than 50 = 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 37, 41, 43, 47
Self-Assessment:

(1) Check the nearest greater perfect square.

127 < 122 Prime numbers smaller than 10 are 2, 3, 5, 7, 11
Check divisibility of 127 with 2, 3, 5, 7, 11
Since 127 is not a multiple of any given number, 127 is a prime number.

(2) All the odd numbers between 0 to 30 are 1, 3, 5,........27, 29

(1 + 29)
15 × = 225
2
(3) Average of all the natural number less than 100 is 1 + 99 = 50
2
(2.25 + 5.75)
(4) Average of all the rational numbers between 2.25 to 5.75 is =4
2
(5) N = ( product of all the prime numbers less than 100 )
= ( 2 × 3 × 5 × 7 × …97)
= 2 is the only even prime number and 5 is only prime number multiple of 5
Therefore, number of zeroes in N is 1.

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