In math terms, what is a real number?????? Please make the answer so it's easy to understand for me a 7th gr.

Answer 1

The numbers you learn in grade school are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the 'types' of numbers that we've come up with so far.

Real numbers are the type you deal with in class. Technically, the set of real numbers include all rational numbers and all irrational numbers.

Rational numbers are any numbers that can be expressed as a fraction in the form a/b ; where b does not equal zero. And that when expressed as a decimal, it is either terminating or repeating. These number can be either negative, positive or zero

e.g.
-16
37.86
11/58
0.00212121
3.3333333333333333

are all rational numbers

Irrational numbers are just like rational ones, except that when expressed as a decimal, it is neither terminating nor repeating. I.e. it is a decimal that does not end and does not repeat itself.

e.g.
pi (the number you use when finding the area of a cirlce) is an irrational number. It starts out 3.14159 26535 89793 23846 26433 83279 50288 41971 69399 37510 . . . and keeps on going without ending and without EVER repeating itself.

and the square root of 2 are both irrational numbers

As you can guess. Any mathematics you have to worry about in your life will be based in real numbers (unless you decide to follow a life of a theoretical mathematician)

Think that's confusing? Just wait until you try to wrap your head around imaginary numbers. Yes, they exist, but only in really hard university math courses

Answer 2

Imagine all the numbers could be put on a line with 0 in the middle. Negative numbers run to the left and positive to the right. Every real number is, in a sense, telling you how far it is from 0. So you wouldn't likely see an imaginery number, for example since it is not really defined relative to 0. On the other hand -2 is 2 away from 0.

Looked at another way, it is a number whose absolute value names the distance of any point from 0. So the absolute value of -1 is 1 which is it's location versus 0.

Answer 3

A real number is any number that isn't a fraction or decimal.

Examples: 1, 2, 1000, -2, 0, 5, 100, 200, 54, etc.

Answer 4

It's easier to say what a real number isn't:

x/0, where x is any number, you cannot divide by zero.

Any negative number inside a square root sign, because negative numbers have no square root.

Pretty much everything else is real.

Answer 5

Basically any number from negative infinity to postive infinity- the typical numbers we use. Real numbers just mean it's not an imaginary number, which you'll probably learn about later.

Answer 6

for some issues in life, there is no longer a sturdy shortcut =p the terrific way is the good way, ask questions at school, discover your instructor after college, or possibly a distinctive instructor that knows their stuff, and ultimately, do your homework! there's a word, "pretend it 'till ya make it" and in specific cases the doing is the terrific way of studying.

Answer 7

basically its any number you use like 1 2 3...personally im in the 11th grade and i still dont understand that rule

Answer 8

a real # is any number that you can think of here is a diagram...



real #s

Rational #'s Irrational #s
Integers
Whole #s
Natural #s

Answer 9

pretty much anything you can think of... you won't break out of the real numbers for a while...

Answer 10

Go to answers.com type real number