THE DEVELOPMENT OF

RATIONAL NUMBERS
THE REAL NUMBER SYSTEM
GRADE 9
MATHEMATICS
OBJECTIVES
• By the end of this section you must be able to:
• Define and identify numbers in the real number system.
WHAT IS A NATURAL NUMBER?
• It is a number you can count on your finger.

NATURAL NUMBERS

{1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; …}
WHAT IS A WHOLE NUMBER?
• It is all the natural numbers, including the value zero (0).

WHOLE NUMBERS

{0; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; …}
WHAT ARE INTEGERS?
• Includes all natural numbers, whole numbers and the equivalent
negative values of these.
INTEGERS

{-3; -2; -1; 0; 1; 2; 3; …}

WHAT ARE RATIONAL NUMBERS?
• These include all natural and whole numbers, integers and fractions
THAT MEET A SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT!
RATIONAL NUMBERS
WHAT MAKES A RATIONAL NUMBER…
RATIONAL?
•
WHAT IS AN IRRATIONAL NUMBER?
•

IRRATIONAL NUMBERS
WHAT IS A REAL NUMBER?
• A real number is any one of the numbers we have just discussed.
• Well… that is a bit obvious!
• What is it if it is not real?
• Nonreal… imaginary.

REAL NUMBERS
WORKED EXAMPLE 01
• What are natural numbers (ℕ)?

A. The set of all whole numbers, positive, negative and 0.

B. The set of all positive whole numbers (excluding 0).
C. The set of all positive whole numbers (including 0).
WORKED EXAMPLE 02
• What are integers (ℤ)?

A. The set of all whole numbers, positive, negative and 0.

B. The set of all positive whole numbers only.
C. The set of all negative whole numbers only.
WORKED EXAMPLE 03
• Answer TRUE or FALSE to the following
The natural numbers are a subset of the integers.

A. True.
B. False.
WORKED EXAMPLE 04
•
WORKED EXAMPLE 05
•
WORKED EXAMPLE 06
•

Terminating Decimal

Terminating Decimal

Terminating Decimal

Terminating Decimal
Terminating Decimal
Decimal expansion that can go
on forever without recurring
=1.41421356237…
WORKED EXAMPLE 07
•
WORKED EXAMPLE 08
•
WORKED EXAMPLE 09
• Answer TRUE or FALSE to the following.

All rational numbers are a subset of the integers.

A. True.
B. False.
WORKED EXAMPLE 10

STATEMENT TRUE OR FALSE?

Every integer is a natural number. FALSE

Every natural number is a rational number. TRUE

Every rational number is an integer. FALSE

Every integer is a rational number. TRUE
Every natural number is an integer. TRUE