Rational Numbers

Integers
3 –7 78 –26
–3
Whole Numbers
45 0 10
4
Natural Numbers

18 100 87
Real Numbers

Introduction
Natural numbers
Counting numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,.....are known as natural numbers. The set of all natural
numbers can be represented by
N = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5,....}
Whole numbers

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If we include 0 among the natural numbers, then the numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.....are called
whole numbers. The set of whole numbers can be represented by
W = {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,.... }
Clearly, every natural number is a whole number but 0 is a whole number which is not a
natural number. So, every whole number is not a natural number.
Integers
All counting numbers and their negatives including zero are known as integers. The set of
integers can be represented by
Z or I = {....., –4, –3, –2, –1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4,......}
Positive integers
The set I+ = {1, 2, 3, 4,....} is the set of all positive integers. Clearly, positive integers and
natural numbers are synonyms.
Negative integers
The set I– = {....., –3, –2, –1} is the set of all negative integers. 0 is neither positive nor
negative.
Fractions

A number which can be expressed in the form , where

p, q are whole numbers and q ≠ 0 is called a fraction.

E.g. etc.

🟋 All whole numbers are integers but not all the integers are whole numbers.

🟋 All natural numbers are whole numbers but not all the whole numbers are natural

numbers.
Rational numbers

A number which can be expressed in the form , where p, q are integers and q ≠ 0 is

called a rational number.

E.g. , – 3, 0, 1 etc.

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Integers
q ≠0

p
q
Rational Numbers
Standard form of rational number
A rational number is said to be in standard form if its denominator is positive and it is in
the lowest terms.
Steps to express given rational number in standard form :
Step 1 : If not already so, make the denominator of the given rational number positive.
Step 2 : Divide both the numerator and the denominator by their HCF.

Write the following rational numbers in their standard form.

(i) (ii) (iii)

(iv) (v) 0.4

Solution

(i) = –3 = (ii)

(iii) (iv)

(v)

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🟋 If denominators of two rational numbers are same, then lesser the numerator,
lesser the rational number will be and greater the numerator, greater the rational
number will be.

E.g., and

🟋 If numerators of two rational numbers are same then after writing the rational
numbers in standard form:
● If both the rational numbers are –ve then; rational numbers with smaller
denominators will be smaller and rational numbers with greater denominator will
be greater.

E.g.,
● If both the rational numbers are +ve then, rational number with smaller
denominator will be greater and rational number with greater denominator will
be smaller.

E.g.,
Properties of rational numbers
Closure
(i) The sum of two rational numbers is again a rational number.

E.g. , a rational number.

Thus, rational numbers are closed under addition.
(ii) The difference of two rational numbers is again a rational number.

E.g., , a rational number.

Thus, rational numbers are closed under subtraction.
(iii) The product of two rational numbers is again a rational number,

E.g., , a rational number.

Thus, rational numbers are closed under multiplication.
(iv) When a rational number is divided by a non-zero rational number, a rational
number is obtained.

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E.g., , a rational number.

But, division of a rational number by zero is not defined.
Thus, rational numbers are not closed under division.

🟋 0 ÷ 5 ≠ not defined; 0 ÷ 5 = 0

🟋 5 ÷ 0 ≠ 0; 5 ÷ 0 = not defined

Complete the following table.

Closed Under
Numbers
Addition Subtraction Multiplication Division
(i) Rational Numbers Yes Yes - No
(ii) Integers - Yes _ No
(iii) Whole numbers - - Yes -
(iv) Natural numbers - No - No

Commutative Property

A + B = B + A
A×B=B×A
+
+
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=
=
×
×
Commutativity
(i) The sum of two rational numbers remains the same even if the order in which they
are added is changed.

E.g.,

So,
Thus, the addition of rational numbers is commutative.
(ii) The difference of two rational numbers is not the same if the order in which they
are subtracted is changed.

E.g.,

So,
Thus, the subtraction of rational numbers is not commutative.
(iii) The product of two rational numbers remains the same even if the order in which
they are multiplied is changed.

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E.g.,

So,
Thus, the product of rational numbers is commutative.
(iv) The quotient of two rational numbers is not the same if the order in which they are
divided is changed.

E.g.,

So,
Thus, the division of rational numbers is not commutative.

(i) Yes, (ii) Yes, Yes (iii) Yes, No, No (iv) Yes, Yes

Complete the following table.

Commutative for
Numbers
Addition Subtraction Multiplication Division
(i) Rational Numbers Yes - - -
(ii) Integers - No _ -
(iii) Whole numbers - - Yes -
(iv) Natural numbers - - - No

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+
+
+
+
=
=
8 + 4 = 12
5 + 7 = 12

Associative Property
Associativity
(i) The sum of three or more rational numbers remains the same even if the order in
which they are grouped is changed.

E.g.,

=
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So,
Thus, the addition of rational numbers is associative.
(ii) The difference of three or more rational numbers is not the same if the order in
which they are grouped is changed.

E.g.,

So,
Thus, the subtraction of rational numbers is not associative.
(iii) The product of three or more rational numbers remains the same even if the order
in which they are grouped is changed.

E.g.,

So,
Thus, the product of rational numbers is associative.
(iv) The quotient of three or more rational numbers is not the same if the order in which
they are grouped is changed.
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E.g.,

So,
Thus, the division of rational numbers is not associative.

(i) No, Yes, No (ii) Yes, Yes, No (iii) Yes, No, No (iv) Yes, No, Yes

Complete the following table.

Associative for
Numbers
Addition Subtraction Multiplication Division
(i) Rational Numbers - - - No
(ii) Integers - - Yes -
(iii) Whole numbers Yes - Yes -
(iv) Natural numbers - No - -
Note: "While adding / subtracting, three or more rational numbers, we group them in
such a way that, each group contains a pair of rational numbers with a common
denominator or their denominators have a common divisor."

Rearrange suitably and add:

Solution
Let us rearrange the numbers suitably to make addition easier.

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Now,

Rearrange suitably and multiply:

Solution

(i) Yes, No, Yes (ii) Yes, No, No (iii) No, No (iv) Yes, Yes, No

Additive inverse and Multiplicative inverse

Special numbers 0 and 1

If we add 0 to any rational number, the sum is the number itself.

E.g.,

Zero is called the additive identity of rational numbers.

If we multiply a rational number by 1, then the product is the number itself.

E.g.,

One is called the multiplicative identity of rational numbers.

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Additive inverse of a rational number

If is a rational number, then there exists a rational number – such that, =

0. and – are said to be the additive inverse or negative of each other.

E.g., =0

Thus, and – are the additive inverse of each other.

Multiplicative inverse of a rational number

If is a rational number, then there exists a rational number such that, = 1.

and are said to be the multiplicative inverse or reciprocal of each other. (a ≠ 0)

E.g., , the multiplicative inverse is , so that =1.

🟋 Multiplicative inverse of +ve rational number is always the +ve.

🟋 Multiplicative inverse of –ve rational number is always the –ve.

🟋 0 has no multiplicative inverse.
🟋 The multiplicative inverse of 1 and –1 are the numbers themselves.

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🟋 Multiplicative inverse of (–5) is not ‘5’, it is , and Additive inverse of (–5) is

not , it is ‘5’.

Write the additive inverse of

(i) (ii) (iii) (iv)

(v)
Solution
Additive inverse is a number with the same magnitude but opposite sign. So, the additive
inverse are

(i) (ii) (iii) (iv)

(v)

Is 0.7 the multiplicative inverse of 1 ?

Explanation

1 = and 0.7 =

= =1

Yes, 0.7 is the multiplicative inverse of 1 .

Distributive property of multiplication

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In general, for rational number a, b and c,

a (b ± c) = ab ± ac.

This property is known as distributive property of multiplication.

Distributive property
+
)
(
+
E.g., consider 3 rational numbers, , and .

and =

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So, .

Solve using distributive property of multiplication.

Solution

Rational numbers on the number line

To represent a rational number on the number line, divide each unit length on the
number line into as many parts as the denominator of the rational number and move as
many steps starting from 0, on the number line as the numerator (towards the right for
positive rational numbers and towards the left for negative rational numbers). Every
rational number can be represented by a unique point on the number line.
E.g., Look at the following number line

Here, each unit length is divided into 5 equal parts.

THE OPPOSITES OF THE COUNTING NUMBERS CREATE THE NEGATIVE INTEGERS.

ZERO IS THE CENTER.

-4

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-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
THE NUMBER LINE GOES ON TO INFINITY IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.

Which rational number do the letters X, Y and Z represent on the following number
line?

Explanation
The points X and Y lie between 0 and – 1. The distance between 0 and – 1 is divided into 5
equal parts.

So, Y represent and X represent .

The point Z lies between 0 and 1. The distance between 0 and 1 is divided into 5 equals
parts.

So, Z represents .

Represent the following on the number line :

(i) (ii)
Solution

(i) will lie between 0 and 1 on the number line.

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For , the denominator is 7 so, divide the distance between 0 and 1 into 7 equal parts.

The points A, B, C, D, E and F do this. The point C represents .

(ii) lies between – 1 and – 2 on the number line.

As the denominator is 5, we will divide the distance between – 1 and – 2 into 5 equal

parts. The points A, B, C and D do this. The point B represents , –1 is same as and

–2 is .
Rational numbers between two rational numbers
You already know that between two whole numbers or two integers, only a definite
number of whole numbers or integer numbers exist.
But, it isn't the same for two rational numbers. There are innumerable rational numbers
between any two rational numbers. This property of rational numbers is clearly explained
in the building concept 3.

How many rational numbers lie between 0 and 1?

Explanation

Divide the number line into 10 equal parts between the points 0 and 1. We can easily see
that, there are 9 points between 0 and 1, i.e.,

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Again, divide the number line between and into 10 equal parts, we get.

We can further divide the number line between the points and into 10 equal

parts. We get
If we go on increasing the divisions between two rational numbers, we can accommodate
an infinite number of rational numbers.

Find any 5 rational numbers between and .

Solution

Let us write as and as .

The rational numbers between these are

and .
Write any 5 rational numbers for the answer.

The numbers are .

Find any two rational numbers between and .

Solution
First, find the equivalent rational numbers of both the given rational numbers by
converting their denominators into a common denominator.
LCM of 4 and 5 is 20.

and

Two rational numbers between and are and

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Note : “The rational numbers do not have a unique representation in the form , where

p, q are integers and q ≠ 0. eg. , these are called equivalent rational

numbers.”
Alternate method
We can also use the idea of mean to find rational numbers between any two given rational
numbers.
The number that is midway between the two given rational numbers, a and b (a < b) is the

mean of a and b, i.e. x =

Find a rational number that is midway between

and .
Solution
We find the mean of the given rational numbers.

Find 3 rational numbers between and .

Solution

Let r1 be a rational number between and

∴ r1 =

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So, we have < < .

Let r2 be a rational number between and .

∴ r2 =

So, we have < < < .

Let r3 be a rational number between and .

∴ r3 =

So, we have, < < < <

Thus, 3 rational numbers between and are , and .

Word problems

John bought 25 kg of rice and he used 1 kg on the first day, 4 kg on the second
day. Find the quantity of rice left.
Explanation
Total quantity of rice = 25 kg.

Rice used on first day = 1 kg = kg.

Rice used on second day = 4 kg = kg

Remaining quantity of rice left =

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= = 18 kg.

Kriyaan reads part of a book in 1 hour. How much part of the book will he read

in 2 hours?
Solution

The part of the book read by Kriyaan in 1 hour =

So, the part of the book read by him in 2 hours = 2

= =

John bought 25 kg of Rice and he used 1 kg on the first day, 4 kg on the second
day. Find the remaining quantity of rice left.
Solution

Rice used on first day = 1 kg

Rice used on second day = kg

Quantity of rice used on first day and second day:

= = = = =
Remaining quantity of rice left :

= = = =

Remaining quantity of rice is kg.

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There are 15000 books in a library. One-fifth of the book are English, two-third of
the books are French and the rest are Spanish. Find the number of Spanish books in
the library?
Solution

Fraction of books which are English and French =

Least common multiple of (3, 5) = 15.
Make each denominator as 15 by multiplying each fraction by an appropriate number.

= =

Fraction of books which are Spanish =

Number of Spanish books in the library =

= 4 × 1000 = 4000

By what rational number should be multiplied to get the product as ?

Solution
Let the required number be ‘x’.
So,

x=

x=

Hence, the required number is .

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