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Types of numbers

As mathematics teachers,
we need to know about the
different types of numbers
that we are dealing with.
There are numbers like 1, 2,
3, ... etc., ones like
0.33333... , or ones like 5/7.

We introduce students to these gradually, and each new type comes

with its own uses, and its own challenges. The main types of numbers
used in school mathematics are listed below:

? Natural Numbers (N),

(also called positive integers, counting numbers, or natural
numbers); They are the numbers {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, …}

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? Whole Numbers (W).
This is the set of natural numbers, plus zero, i.e., {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ...}.
? Integers (Z).
This is the set of all whole numbers plus all the negatives (or
opposites) of the natural numbers, i.e., {… , –2, –1, 0, 1, 2, …}
? Rational numbers (Q)
This is all the fractions where the top and bottom numbers are
integers; e.g., 1/2, 3/4, 7/2, –4/3, 4/1 [Note: The denominator cannot
be 0, but the numerator can be].
? Real numbers (R),
(also called measuring numbers or measurement numbers). This
includes all numbers that can be written as a decimal. This includes
fractions written in decimal form e.g., 0.5, 0.75 2.35, –0.073, 0.3333,
or 2.142857. It also includes all the irrational numbers such as ð,
v2 etc. Every real number corresponds to a point on the number line

Students generally start with the counting numbers (N). They are then
introduced to 0, and this gives them the whole numbers (W). The
integers are avoided initially, even though simple subtraction could
lead to negative numbers ( e.g., 3 – 4 = –1). Simple unit fractions are
the next group of numbers that are met i.e., {1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5 ... }, then
other fractions (e.g., 3/4, 4/9, 7/2, 3/100, –1/2 etc.) which are known as
the rational numbers (Q).

We next move onto decimal numbers (such as 0.3, 0.32, –2.7). These
can be called decimal fractions, because they can be written in a
fractional form (e.g., 3/10, 32/100, –27/10). These expand to the real
numbers (R), which include irrational numbers such as ð, v2. An
irrational number cannot be represented as a fraction (i.e., a rational
number). ð can be represented with numerals, i.e., 3.14159265 ... ;
however the digits go on infinitely but there is no pattern to them.

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Discrete and continuous numbers

The above types of numbers can be split up into discrete or continuous
numbers. The first four of the above (N, W, Z and Q) are referred to as
discrete. This means that they are separate and distinct entities. In fact
each of these sets is countable. The last set, (R), cannot be counted.
This is because they are continuous. Between any two real numbers,
however close they may be, there are infinitely more real numbers. At
higher levels of secondary and tertiary education discrete mathematics,
is often more challenging than the mathematics of continuous
functions. With continuous functions, a small change in the input
variable leads to a small change in the output variable. Smooth,
continuous functions lead on to most of the functions students meet at
secondary school, including calculus at the senior secondary school
level.

Constructing numbers
The numbers we meet at school are generally represented by using
combinations of ten number symbols (also called numerals or digits)
plus the symbols ".", "+", and "–" (e.g., 5, 27, 35.8, –4)The ten number
symbols we use are: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 as well as 0.

All of these symbols also represent the numbers one, two, three, ... up to
nine; as well as zero.0 is itself a number, and a very important one. It is
called zero, nil, nought etc. It is also a place-holder. It is first used in this
sense in the number ten (10). The 0 denotes that there is nothing in the
units place, and therefore distinguishes 10 from 1. The concept of place
holder is best interpreted as there being zero (0) of the units in the place
where the 0 is. For example, in 1025 there are zero hundreds. Students
need to meet the number 0 before they meet the number 10.

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Real number
In mathematics, a real number is a value of a continuous quantity that
can represent a distance along a line. The adjective real in this context
was introduced in the 17th century by René Descartes, who
distinguished between real and imaginary roots of polynomials. The
real numbers include all the rational numbers, such as the integer - 5
and the fraction 4/3, and all the irrational numbers, such as √ 2
(1.41421356..., the square root of 2, an irrational algebraic number).
Included within the irrationals are the transcendental numbers, such as
π　 　
（３．１４１５９２６５．．．）．In addition to measuring distance, real numbers can
be used to measure quantities such as time, mass, energy, velocity, and
many more.

Real numbers can be thought of as points on an infinitely long line

called the number line or real line, where the points corresponding to
integers are equally spaced. Any real number can be determined by a
possibly infinite decimal representation, such as that of 8.632, where
each consecutive digit is measured in units one tenth the size of the
previous one. The real line can be thought of as a part of the complex
plane, and complex numbers include real numbers.

These descriptions of the real numbers are not sufficiently rigorous by

the modern standards of pure mathematics. The discovery of a suitably
rigorous definition of the real numbers – indeed, the realization that a
better definition was needed – was one of the most important
developments of 19th-century mathematics. The current standard
axiomatic definition is that real numbers form the unique Dedekind-
complete ordered field (R ; + ; · ; <).

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approximately

..

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(where a is an integer)

Proving a Number is Irrational

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13. Prove that Ö

3 irrational.

Polynomials

01.

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02.

03.

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Tutorial 02

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13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

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FUNCTIONS & MAPPINGS

Definitions
 A mapping transforms one set of numbers into a
different set of numbers. The mapping can be
described in words or through an algebraic equation.
It can also be represented by a cartesian graph.

 A function is a special mapping such that every

element of set (the domain) is mapped to exactly
one element of set (codomain). A good way to
remember this is

Range
(results)

One - to - One many - to - One

function function

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Note
One - to - many
or
many - to - many

are not functions

not a function not a function

You can write functions in two different way :

3 2 or : → 3 2

May mappings can be made into functions by changing the

domain,

eg:

2√
[ a function]

4
[ not a function]

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4
4
2 2 [ a function]
[not a function]

-2 0 2 -2 2

-2

You can combine two or more functions to make a new

complex function.

→ means apply
first, followed by . " "
is called a composite
function

means apply
first, followed by , then
followed by .

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The inverse function performs the opposite operation to the

function. It takes elements of the range and maps them back
into elements of the domain. For this reason inverse functions
only exist for One - to - One functions.
[ The inverse of is written ]

The range of the function is the domain of the inverse

function and vice versa. This fact can be used to solve
many problems.

 Note that the graph of is a reflection of in

the line . This is because the reflection
transforms to and to .

450
450

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Tutorial 03

1. For the following functions,

i. Sketch the graph of the function
ii. state the range.
iii. describe if the function is one-to-one or many-to-one.
a. 5 1
b. 2 3 2
c. 1 1
2. State whether or not the following graphs represent
functions. Given reasons for your answers and describe
the type of function.

a). b).

c). d).

e). f).

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3. The functions below are defined for the discrete domains.

i. Represent each function on a mapping diagram, writing
down the elements in the range,
ii. state if the function is one - to - one or many - to - one
a. 2 1 for the domain 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
b. √ for the domain 1,4,9,16,25,36
c. for the domain 2, 1, 0, 1, 2
d. 2 for the domain 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
e. draw a cartesian diagram and describe.
2 for the domain 0 180

4. The following mappings and are defined on all the

real numbers by
4 ; 4 4 ; 4
; Explain
9; 4 9; 4
why is a function and is not. Sketch the
function and find,
a. 3 b. 10
c. The value of a such that 90.
d. find the values of the domain that get mapped to
them selves in the .
5. 6 20 If is one - to - one,
find the smallest value of the constant .

6. Given the functions 5 3; 2 9,

2 , find expressions for
3
a). b). c). d). e).
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7. If 3 2 and ; find the number/
such that .
8. Given that 1 3 4 , find the
(x 2 ) and
number such that 16.
9. If 2 3 and n 3 ⁄2 ; prove that Y

3 (3 )
10. If 1 and t
(x+1) ; Prove that
.
11. Explain why the function 4 ∈| , 0 is
not identical to its inverse.
12. The function is defined by
4 9 ∈| ; for some constant
. If exists, state the least value of and hence
determine the . State the domain of .

13. Determine , if 6 5 ∈| ; 5

14. The function is define by

2 1 / 2 ; ∈| ; 2.
a) what happens to the function as approaches 2?
b) find 3 .
c) find stating clearly its domain
d) find the elements of the domain that get mapped to
themselves by the function.
e) find the values of a for which .
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15. ; 1
a. find the range of .
b. find
c. find ange of

16. For the following functions ; sketch the graphs of

and on the same set of axes. Determine also
the .
a) =2 3
b) 2
c) = 1

d) 2 0
e)

17. The functions and are defined by : →4 1

; : →3 2 1
a). write down the domain of
b). Find the inverse of
c). Find the composite function .
d). Find the values of for which 2 .
e). Find the values of for which 4.

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y = f (x)
18.
A 3,2 (maximum point)

2, 4 (minimum point
x

a) Sketch on separate diagrams the graphs of

i. | |
ii. 3 2

b) Write down the values of and for the graph of

has a minimum point at the origin .
(write down coordinates of and )

19. The functions and are defined by;

: →2 ; ∈| : →3 2 1 ; ∈|

; 1 .
2
a). Evaluate 2
b). Solve the 1
2
c). Find the values 2.

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20. ≡3 ; ∈| ; 0.
a) ange of
b) Sketch the graphs of and on
the same diagram.
c) Find and state its domain
d) The function is defined by ≡8 3 ;
∈| ; 3, evaluate 3
e) Solve the .
y
21. , 0 ; 0, showing the
coordinates of any points of
B y=2
intersection with the axes and
the equations of any
o A x asymptotes , sketch on separate
x=1
diagrams for the graphs of,

i. | |
ii. 2 1
Given also that ; ∈| ; 1

b). find the values of and .

c). find an expression for .

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22. In a separate diagrams sketch the curve

0, ,0 with
a)
0 b) 3 2 . Indicate clearly on
each sketch the coordinates in
terms of cord of any point where the cure meets the
coordinate axes. Given that is defined by
: →3 2 1 ; ∈| ; 0.
c). State, i. the value of
ii. the range of .
d) find the value of
e) The function is defined by
.
: → log ; ∈ | ; 1 Find giving
your answer in its simplest form.

23. 2 5; ∈ | ; 1,
a. Express in the form , where and
are constants.
b. Express the range of .
c. Find an expression for .
d. Describe fully two transformations that would map the
graph of onto the graph of √ , 0.
e. Find an equation for the normal to the curve
where 8.

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24. The function and are defined by

≡6 1; ∈ | ,
log 3 1 ∈| ; 1⁄3.
a). Evaluate 1 .
b). Find an expression for
c). Find in terms of natural logarithms the solution of the
2.

25. y ,0 ,

B
a. Showing in terms of and the
B y = f(x) coordinates of any points of
intersection with the axes,
x sketch on separate diagrams the
AA
graphs of

i.
ii. 2 3
Given that, -2 +√ 9; ∈| ; 9.
b). find the values of and .
c). find an expression for and state its
domain.

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30.

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