Lesson 5: The Set of Real Numbers

Real numbers can be defined as the union of both the rational and irrational numbers. They can be both
positive and negative and are denoted by the symbol “R”. All the natural numbers, decimals and fractions
come under this category. See the figure, given below, which shows the classification of real numerals.

Important Subsets of Real Numbers

The set of real numbers consist of different categories, such as natural and whole numbers, integers,
rational and irrational numbers. In the table given below, all these numbers are defined with examples.
Category Definition Example
Natural Contain all counting numbers which All numbers such as 1, 2, 3, 4,5,6,…..…
Numbers ℕ start from 1. N = {1,2,3,4,……}

These are the numbers that we use for

counting.
Whole Collection of zero and natural number. All numbers including 0 such as 0, 1, 2, 3,
Numbers W W = {0,1,2,3,…..} 4,5,6,…..…

The set of whole numbers includes 0

and the natural numbers.
Integers ℤ The collective result of whole numbers Includes: -infinity (-∞),……..-4, -3, -2, -1,
and negative of all natural numbers. 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, ……+infinity (+∞)
{…− 3 ,− 2 ,− 1 ,0 , 1 , 2, 3 … }
The set of integers includes the -17, -5, -3, 0, 2, 3,5, 99
negatives of the natural numbers and
the whole numbers.
Rational
Numbers ℚ ( ab|a∧b are integers∧b ≠0) −17=−
17 6
, =3 , − 2, 2 , 0 2, 3 , 5 ,17
1 2
2 1
=0.4 , =0.5
The set of rational numbers is the set 5 2
of all umbers that can be expressed as 2
a quotient of two integers, with the =0.6666 …=−0. 66
3
denominator not 0. Rational numbers
can be expressed as terminating or
repeating decimals.
Irrational The set of irrational numbers is the set Irrational numbers are non-terminating
Numbers I of all numbers whose decimal and non-repeating in nature like √2
representations are neither terminating
nor repeating. Irrational numbers √ 2 ≈1.414214 …
cannot be expressed as a quotient of
− √ 3 ≈ −1.73205 …
integers.
π ≈ 3.1426 …
π
All the numbers which are not rational ≈ 1.571 …
and cannot be written in the form of
2
ratio a/b.

Notice that use of the symbol ≈ in the example of irrational numbers. The symbol means “is approximately equal
to” Thus, √ 2 ≈1.414214 …

We can verify that this is only an approximation by multiplying 1.414214 by itself. The product is very close to but
not exactly to 2. 1.414214 x 1.414214 =2.000001237796

Not all square roots are irrational. For example √ 25=5 because 52=5 ∙ 5=25. Thus √ 25 is a natural number, a

whole number, an integer and a rational number ( √125 =5) .

 Real Numbers Chart
The chart for the set of real numerals including all the types are given below:

Properties of Real Numbers

There are four main properties which include commutative property, associative property, distributive
property and identity property. Consider “m, n and r” are three real numbers. Then the above properties can
be described using m, n, and r as shown below:

Name Meaning Examples

Commutative Changing order when adding does not • 13 + 7 = 7 + 13
Property of affect the sum. • 13x + 7 = 7 + 13x
Addition a+b=b+a
Commutative Changing order when multiplying does •12 x 15=15 x 12
Property of not affect the product. • x ∙ 6=6 ∙ x
Multiplication ab = ba
Associative Changing grouping when adding does 3+(8+ x )=(3+ 8)+ x
Property of not affect the sum. 3+8+ x=11+ x
Addition (a + b) + c = a + (b + c) 11+ x=11+ x
Associative Changing grouping when multiplying −2 ( 3 x )=( −2 ∙ 3 ) x
Property of does not affect the product. −6 x =−6 x
Multiplication (ab)c = a(bc)
Property of Multiplication distributes over addition. 5 ( 3 x+7 )=5 ∙ 3 x +5 ∙7
Multiplication a ( b +c )=ab +ac ¿ 15 x+ 35
over Addition
Identity Any number added with zero gives the 5+0=5
Property of number. a+0 = a 10+0=10
Addition 0+a=a
Identity Any number multiplied to 1 give the 13x*1=13x
Property of number. The mu 55*1=55
Multiplication a*1=a
1*a=a
Inverse Property The sum of Real Number and its 6x + (-6x) = 0
of Addition additive inverse gives 0, the additive 5+ (-5) = 0
identity (-4y) + 4 = 0
a + (-a) = 0
(-a) + a = 0
Inverse Property of The product of a nonzero real number 1
Multiplication and its multiplicative inverse gives 1
7= =1
7
(reciprocal of the given number), the
multiplicative identity.
1
( )
1
x−3
( x −3 )=1 , x ≠ 3
a ∗ =1 , a≠ 0
a
1
=a=1 , a ≠ 0
a
 LESSON 6: Verbal Statements to Mathematical Symbols

Translating Verbal Statements to Mathematical Symbols

Before solving problems mathematically, let us first study the basic concepts in translating (correctly)
verbal statements to symbols. This is the most important part in solving problems. Many students perceive
that problem solving is difficult. That is because they do not practice this part carefully. It is a fact that
setting up equations is very difficult if one don’t know the basic translations. Moreover , problems can easily
be understood if verbal statements are correctly stated into mathematical symbols.

Review of some clues:

Addition : sum, plus, more than, added by, increased by, total
These terms connote the process of addition and means to add up the
two numbers given in the order they appear and equate it to the given result.

Subtraction : difference, subtracted from, decreased by, less than, deducted by,
minus, diminished by, exceed, lowered by, less, subtract
These terms connote the process of subtraction. The numeric and literal terms before
and after these phrases shall retain their positions during the translation, except the
phrases “subtracted from” and “less than”. We mean “x less than y” to be “y – x” and
not “x – y”.
Multiplication : product, times, multiply, twice, thrice, of, double, triple, half of
These terms connote the process of multiplication. These means to multiply the first
number by the second number in the order they appear and equate it to the given
result.

Division : divided by, quotient of, ratio

These terms connote the process of division. The phrase “divided by” means to divide
a term before it by the term after it. The phrase “quotient of” refers to the result
obtained after dividing two numbers.

Equals: : Is, result, total, equal to

Translate the following verbal phrases to mathematical symbols:

(a) a number x is increased by two;

x+2
b) five more than a number;
5+n / n+5
(c) two-thirds of a number x;
2/3 x
(d) two times y;
2y
(e) a number y is diminished by three;
y–3
(f) a number y is divided by two;
y
2
(g) three less than n.
n–3

TRY: Translate the following verbal phrases to mathematical equations:

(a) one-third of a number x is five; (b) six times what number added to eight is twenty; (c) the
sum of two consecutive odd integers is twelve; (d) seven less than the product of seven and
a number x is twenty-one; and (e) the sum of two consecutive even integers divided by three
is ten.