SOLUTION: is 0.282882888... a rational number?

Question 5879: is 0.282882888... a rational number?

Found 2 solutions by Abbey, longjonsilver:
Answer by Abbey(339) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
no... a rational number is one that can be expressed as a ratio
3/2 or 5/4 or 1/2. the three dots following the number indicate it continues on in the same pattern forever, so it cannot be expressed as a ratio.
Answer by longjonsilver(2297) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
what Abbey wrote is not correct...since 0.33333333333333... is a fraction, namely 1/3 and so rational.

If a decimal repeats, eg 0.128128128128... then it is rational and can be written in the form a/b. However, yours does not repeat, it is just a random combinations of 2 and 8 that does go on for ever (as implied by your 3 dots), so it is not rational.

Jon.

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