Monday, September 10, 2007

9/10/07 Numbers

Describe the differences and similarities between an integer and a rational number. What does it mean to take the absolute value of a number? How does that compare to taking the opposite of a number? Remember to state the assignment given in class.

1 comment:

Hannah G. said...

An integer is a whole number and its opposite,(for every positive integer there is a negitive).

Ex: 1 is the opposite of -1, 2 is the opposite of -2 and 3 is the opposite of -3 and so on).

A rational number is a number that can be expressed as a fraction/ratio of two integers. (a/b, a and b are integers where b does NOT equal zero. Remember Mrs. Sahlhut's example that zero can be divided by n (0/n), but n can't be divided zero (n/0)?

To take the absolute value of a number means to find its distance from zero. Ex: |-2|= 2

REMEMBER: The absolute value of a number will always be positive!

Taking the absolute value of a number compares to taking the opposite of a number because they both involve finding out how many units a number is from zero.

ASSIGNMENT:pg.68 #'s 21, 22, 31, 33, 38, 44, 53, 54, and 55. DUE WED!