2007-10-01 08:28:37 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
They can't be expressed as the ratio of two integers. However they can be expressed in terms of other irrational numbers.
e.g. sqrt(0.5) = sqrt(2) / 2
2007-10-01 08:38:35 · answer #1 · answered by Dr D 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The people saying "no" are *mostly* correct.
Irrational numbers may be represented as non-terminating--but repeating--continued fractions. For example, phi (the golden ratio) = (1+sqrt(5))/2 = [1, 1, 1, 1, 1, ....] = 1+1/(1+1/(1+1/(1+1/....))) Of course, this given only a rational *approximation* to the irrational number, but you may get really close to the actual value relatively quickly.
Non-terminating and non-repeating continued fractions give rise to transcendental numbers.
2007-10-01 15:51:44 · answer #2 · answered by Mathsorcerer 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. A fraction is a rational number. The definition of an irrational number is a number that is not rational (ie a number that cannot be written as a fraction).
Hope this helps.
2007-10-01 15:31:54 · answer #3 · answered by vidigod 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. The very definition of an irrational number is a number that cannot be expressed as a/b.
2007-10-01 15:32:53 · answer #4 · answered by ironduke8159 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nope, that's why they're irrational.
2007-10-01 15:32:02 · answer #5 · answered by PMP 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋