rational number
noun
: a number that can be expressed as an integer or the quotient of an integer divided by a nonzero integer
Examples of rational number in a Sentence
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Assuming that the lengths of the triangle correspond to rational numbers, and are integers and have no common divisor—or so everyone thought.
—
Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 13 June 2024
Elliptic curves restricted to the rational numbers — numbers that can be written as fractions — are particularly useful.
—Lyndie Chiou, Quanta Magazine, 5 Mar. 2024
Mathematically this is expressed by saying that, given an irrational number x, there are infinitely many rational numbers p/q such that |x - p/q| < 1/q^2, while for rational numbers there are only finitely many.
—Quanta Magazine, 13 Dec. 2023
Galois groups are mathematical objects that describe how entities called fields (like the real or rational numbers) change when they are extended with new elements.
—Kevin Hartnett, Quanta Magazine, 12 Oct. 2023
In particular, the three mathematicians prove the duality between periods and L-functions over number systems that arise in geometry called function fields, rather than over number fields — like the rational numbers — which are the true home of the Langlands program.
—Kevin Hartnett, Quanta Magazine, 12 Oct. 2023
The infinity of rational numbers is the same as the infinity of whole numbers.
—Quanta Magazine, 27 June 2023
Every rational number is algebraic, and some irrational numbers are too, like 3√2.
—Quanta Magazine, 27 June 2023
If the two new arrangements contained repeating patterns, the length of their translation vectors should have been related to each other—specifically, their ratio should have been a rational number.
—Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 10 Apr. 2023
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Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 13 June 2024
Elliptic curves restricted to the rational numbers — numbers that can be written as fractions — are particularly useful.
—Lyndie Chiou, Quanta Magazine, 5 Mar. 2024
Mathematically this is expressed by saying that, given an irrational number x, there are infinitely many rational numbers p/q such that |x - p/q| < 1/q^2, while for rational numbers there are only finitely many.
—Quanta Magazine, 13 Dec. 2023
Galois groups are mathematical objects that describe how entities called fields (like the real or rational numbers) change when they are extended with new elements.
—Kevin Hartnett, Quanta Magazine, 12 Oct. 2023
In particular, the three mathematicians prove the duality between periods and L-functions over number systems that arise in geometry called function fields, rather than over number fields — like the rational numbers — which are the true home of the Langlands program.
—Kevin Hartnett, Quanta Magazine, 12 Oct. 2023
The infinity of rational numbers is the same as the infinity of whole numbers.
—Quanta Magazine, 27 June 2023
Every rational number is algebraic, and some irrational numbers are too, like 3√2.
—Quanta Magazine, 27 June 2023
If the two new arrangements contained repeating patterns, the length of their translation vectors should have been related to each other—specifically, their ratio should have been a rational number.
—Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 10 Apr. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Rational number.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rational%20number. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
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