2.

Real Number System

I. The Real Number Line and Real Number System

A. Real Number Line One good way to get a picture of sets of numbers is to
use a diagram called the number
line
B. Real Number System

1.Natural numbers (N)

- the most fundamental set of numbers

- the numbers we used for counting, thus N is also called

Counting numbers

- starts with 1 then proceeds to infinity

- N = {1, 2, 3, ...}

2.Whole numbers ( ) - the set of natural numbers with 0 - = {0, 1, 2, 3, ...}

3.Integers (Z, from the German term zahlen)

- obtained if we include the negatives of the natural numbers

with

- thus, negative integers + 0 + positive integers

- Z = {..., 3, 2, 1, 0, 1, 2, 3, ...}

- note: referring to the real number line, integers are still

 inadequate if we are to measure continuous variables like length
and weight, since Z is spaced too far apart and in uniform lengths
to give sufficient precisions

4.Rational numbers (Q, from the term quotient of integers)

- numbers that represent ratios or quotients of integers

a
- expressed in the fraction form: , where a and b are
b
integers and b = 0

- note: numbers cannot be divided by 0

a
- aside from the form of a fraction, , rational numbers can
b
also be written in its decimal form

- to obtain the decimal form, we divide a by b ba

- note: all rational numbers in their decimal forms are either:

a. terminating; e.g.: 12 = 0.5; 34 = 0.75; 132 = 0.03125

b. non-terminating but repeating; e.g.: 23 =0.66; 2599 = 0.25;

4177 4.2191; 127 = 1.714285;
990 =

- N.B.: however, note that rational numbers are still not

sufficient to measure all lengths, as discovered by the ancient
Greeks several centuries B.C. 3

- examples of irrational numbers: , 3, 7, e

 - note: in their decimal form, irrational numbers are non-
terminating and non- repeating