Class 8 Maths Notes.

Chapter:- RATIONAL NUMBERS!

(CBSE)

Whole Numbers and Natural Numbers

Natural numbers are set of numbers starting

from 1 counting up to infinity. The set of natural numbers is

denoted as ′N′Whole numbers are set of numbers starting

from 0 and going up to infinity. So basically they are natural

numbers with the zero added to the set. The set of whole

numbers is denoted as ′W′Closure Property Closure

property is applicable for whole numbers in the case

of addition and multiplication while it isn’t in the case for

subtraction and division. This applies to natural numbers as

well. Commutative Property Commutative property applies

for whole numbers and natural numbers in the case

of addition and multiplication but not in the case of

subtraction and division. Associative Property Associative

property applies for whole numbers and natural numbers in

the case of addition and multiplication but not in the case of

subtraction and division.

Integers

In simple terms Integers are natural numbers and

their negatives. The set of Integers is denoted as ′Z′ or

′I′Closure Property Closure property applies to integers in

the case of addition, subtraction and multiplication but not

division. Commutative Property Commutative property

applies to integers in the case of

of addition and multiplication but not subtraction and

division. Associative Property Associative property applies

to integers in the case of addition and multiplication but not

subtraction and division.

Rational numbers

A rational number is a number that can be represented as a

fraction of two integers in the form of pq, where q must

be non-zero. The set of rational numebrs is denoted as Q.

For example: −57 is a rational number where -5 and 7 are

integers. Even 2 is a rational number since it can be written

as 21 where 2 and 1 are integers.

Properties of Rational Numbers

Closure Property of Rational Numbers

For any two rational numbers a and ba∗b=c∈Q i.e. For two

rational numbers say a and b the results of addition,

subtraction and multiplication operations gives a rational

number. Since the sum of two numbers ends up being a

rational number, we can say that the closure

propertyapplies to rational numbers in the case of addition.

For example : The sum of 23 +34 =(8+9)12 =1712 is also a

rational number where 17 and 12 are integers. The

difference between two rational numbers result in a

rational number. Therefore, the closure property

applies for rational numbers in the case of subtraction.

For example : The difference

between 45 −34 =(16−15)20 =120 is also a rational number

where 1 and 20 are integers. The multiplication of two

rational numbers results in a rational number. Therefore we

can say that the closure property applies to rational

numbers in the case of multiplication as well.

For example : The product of 12 ×−45 =−410 =−25 which is

also a rational number where -2 and 5 are integers. In the

case with division of two rational numbers, we see that for a

rational number a, a÷0 is not defined. Hence we can say that

the closure property does not apply for rational numbers in

the case of division.

Commutative Property of Rational Numbers

For any two rational numbers a and ba∗b=b∗a.

i.e., Commutative property is one where in the result of an

equation must remain the same despite the change in the

order of operands. Given two rational numbers a and b,

(a+b) is always going to be equal to (b+a).

Therefore addition is commutative for rational numbers.

For example: 23 +43 = 43 + 23 ⇒67 = 67 Considering the

difference between two rational numbers a and b, (a−b) is

never the same as (b−a). Therefore subtraction is not

commutative for rational numbers.

For example: 23 − 43 = −23 Whereas 43 − 23 = 23 When we

consider the product of two rational numbers a and b, (a×b)

is the same as (b×a).

Therefore multiplication is commutative for rational

numbers.

For example: 23 × 43 = 89 43 × 23 = 89 Considering the

division of two numbers a and b, (a÷b) is different from

(b÷a). Therefore division is not commutative for rational

numbers.

For example: 2÷3=23 is definitely different from 3÷2=32

Associative Property of Rational Numbers

For any three rational numbers a,b and c, (a∗b)∗c=a∗(b∗c).

i.e., Associative property is one where the result of an

equation must remain the same despite a change in the

order of operators. Given three rational numbers a,b and c,

it can be said that : (a+b)+c = a+(b+c).

Therefore addition is associative. (a−b)−c≠a−(b−c). Because

(a-b)-c = a-b-c whereas a-(b-c) = a-b+c. Therefore we can

say that subtraction is not associative. (a×b)×c=a×(b×c).

Therefore multiplication is associative.(a÷b)÷c≠(a÷b)÷c.

Therefore division is not associative.

Distributive Property of Rational Numbers

Given three rational numbers a,b and c,

the distributivity of multiplication over addition and subtra

ction is respectively given as : a(b+c)=ab+aca(b−c)=ab−ac

Negatives and Reciprocals

Negation of a Number

For a rational number ab, ab + 0 = ab. i.e., when zero is added

to any rational number the result is the same rational

number. Here ‘0′ is known as additive identity for rational

numbers. If (ab)+(−ab)=(−ab)+(ab)=0, then it can be said that

the additive inverse or negative of a rational number ab is

−ab. Also −ab is the additive inverse or negative of ab.

For example : The additive inverse of −218 is −(−218)=218

Reciprocal of a Number
For any rational number ab, ab×1=ab. i.e., When any rational

numbers is multiplied by ‘1’ ,the result is same rational

number. Therefore ‘1’ is called multiplicative identity for

rational numbers. If ab×cd=1, then it can be said that the

cd is reciprocal or the multiplicative inverse of a rational

number ab. Also ab is reciprocal or the multiplicative inverse

of a rational number cd For example : The reciprocal

of 23 is 32 as 23×32=1

Representing on a Number Line

Representation of Rational Numbers on the

Number Line

In order to represent a given rational number an, where a

and n are integers, on the number line : Step 1 : Divide the

distance between two consecutive integers into ‘n′ parts.

For example : If we are given a rational number 23, we

divide the space between 0 and 1, 1 and 2 etc. into three

parts.

Step 2: Label the rational numbers till the range includes

the number you need to mark

Similar steps can be followed for negative rational numbers

by repeating the steps towards negative direction.

Rational Numbers between Two

Rational Numbers

Rational Numbers between Two Rational

Numbers
The number of rational numbers between any two given

rational numbers aren’t definite, unlike that of whole

numbers and natural numbers.

For example : Between natural numbers 2 and 10 there are

exactly 7 numbers but between 210 and 810 there are

infinite numbers that could exist. Method 1 Given two

rational numbers, ensure both of them have the same

denominators. Once there is a common denominator, we can

pick out any rational number that lies in between. Method

2 Given two rational numbers, we can always find a rational

number between them by calculating

their mean or midpoint.