MIP1501 Assignment 4 Due 18 August 2024

Question 1 (30 Marks)

1.1. Explain in detail to an Intermediate Phase learner the difference between real
and non-real numbers, give two examples for each.

Real Numbers:
Real numbers are all the numbers we normally use. They include all the numbers you
can find on a number line. This means any number that you can think of which can be
positive, negative, or zero.

Example 1: 5 (a positive number)
Example 2: -3.2 (a negative number)

Non-Real Numbers (Imaginary Numbers):
Non-real numbers, or imaginary numbers, are numbers that are not found on a regular
number line. These numbers are used in advanced math and are called “imaginary”
because they involve the square root of negative numbers, which we cannot actually
calculate using our usual number system.

1.2. Explain in detail to an Intermediate Phase learner the difference between
rational and irrational numbers, give two examples for each.

Rational Numbers:
Rational numbers are numbers that can be written as fractions or ratios, where both
the numerator (top number) and the denominator (bottom number) are whole numbers.