r a t i o n a l r a t i o n a l = i r r a t i o n a l \frac{rational}{rational} = irrational ?

Let x = a b x = \frac{a}{b} , for which a a and b b are both non-zero rational numbers.

True or False?

x x is always a rational number.

False True

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2 solutions

Kenny O.
Oct 8, 2017

A rational number is a number which can be represented as fraction a b \frac{a}{b} where a and b are both integers.
In the question, x= a b \frac{a}{b} . As they are both rational numbers,we let a= c d \frac{c}{d} and b= e f \frac{e}{f} where c, d, e and f are integers.
Substituting these 2 equations into x= a b \frac{a}{b} , we get x= c / d e / f \frac{c/d}{e/f}
Multiplying the denominator and numerator by df, we get x= c f d e \frac{cf}{de} . As c, d, e, and f are all intgers, x= c f d e \frac{cf}{de} is always a rationl number.

Correction: a and b are integers. You can't define something with itself, at least shouldn't.

Ron Lauterbach - 3 years, 8 months ago

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I've edited it with further working.

Kenny O. - 3 years, 8 months ago
Munem Shahriar
Jan 16, 2018

By the definition of rational numbers, all rational numbers can be written as a fraction a b \dfrac{a}{b} of two integers a , b a,b where b 0 b \ne 0 . Hence x x is always a rational number.

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