Numbers

Unbounded: Interval on the Real Number Line

Notation Interval Type Inequality

[a , ∞) x≥a

(a , ∞) x>a

(-∞ , b] x≤b

(-∞ , b) x<b

(-∞ , ∞) -∞ < x < ∞

Absolute Value and Distance

I.​ Real Numbers
-​ any number that we can think of -​ If a is a real number, then the absolute value
A.​ Irrational Numbers is
-​ a real number that cannot be expressed as a
ratio of integers
B.​ Rational Numbers
-​ a number that is in the form of p/q, where p
and q are integers, and q is not equal to 0 Law of Trichotomy
1.​ Non-integers
-​ a number that is not a whole number, a 𝑎 = 𝑏​ ​ 𝑎 > 𝑏​ ​ 𝑎<𝑏
negative whole number, or a zero
2.​ Integers Properties of Addition and Multiplication
-​ a whole number that can be positive,
negative, or zero Addition Multiplication
a.​ Negative Integers
-​ any number on the left side of the Commutative 𝑎+𝑏=𝑏+𝑎 𝑎𝑏 = 𝑏𝑎
number line
b.​ Whole Numbers Associative (𝑎 + 𝑏) + 𝑐 = 𝑎 𝑎𝑏(𝑐) = 𝑎(𝑏𝑐)
-​ any number on the right side of the
number line and zero Distributive 𝑎(𝑏 + 𝑐) = 𝑎𝑏 + 𝑎𝑐 𝑎(𝑏 + 𝑐) = 𝑎𝑏 + 𝑎𝑐
i. Natural Numbers
-​ all counting numbers
Identity Inverse
Bounded: Interval on the Real Number Line
Additive 𝑎+0=𝑎 𝑎 + (− 𝑎) = 0
Multiplicative
Notation Interval Type Inequality 𝑎·1=𝑎 𝑎·
1
𝑎
= 1 𝑖𝑓 𝑎 ≠ 0

[a , b] Close a≤x≤b

(a , b) Open a<x<b
Equivalent Fraction
𝑎 𝑐
[a , b) a≤x<b 𝑏
= 𝑑
​​ 𝑎𝑑 = 𝑏𝑐​ 𝑏≠0 , 𝑑≠0

(a , b] a<x≤b

ei: BSCE
Rule of Sign Properties of Radicals
−𝑎 𝑎 𝑎 𝑚
​ ​ − ​ – all the same 𝑏 ≠ 0 𝑛 𝑚
𝑎 = ( 𝑎)
𝑛
𝑏 −𝑏 𝑏 1.
𝑛 𝑛 𝑛
2. 𝑎 · 𝑏 = 𝑎𝑏
Generate Equivalent 𝑛
𝑎 𝑛 𝑎
3. 𝑛 = 𝑏
, 𝑏≠0
𝑏
𝑎 𝑎𝑐
𝑏
= 𝑏𝑐
​𝑐 ≠ 0 𝑚 𝑛 𝑚𝑛
4. 𝑎= 𝑎
𝑛

Add/Subtract like denominators 5. ( 𝑎) 𝑛

=𝑎
𝑛 𝑛
𝑎 𝑐 𝑎±𝑐 6. 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑛 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛, 𝑎 = |𝑎|
𝑏
± 𝑏
= 𝑏 𝑛 𝑛
𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑛 𝑜𝑑𝑑, 𝑎 =𝑎

Add/Subtract unlike denominators

𝑎 𝑐 𝑎±𝑐
𝑏
± 𝑑
= 𝑏𝑑

Properties of Exponents
𝑚 𝑛 𝑚+𝑛
1. 𝑎 𝑎 = 𝑎
𝑚
𝑎 𝑚−𝑛
2. 𝑛 =𝑎
𝑎
1 𝑛
3. 𝑎
−𝑛
=
𝑎
1
𝑛 = ( )
𝑎
0
4. 𝑎 = 1, 𝑎 ≠ 0
𝑚 𝑚 𝑚
5. (𝑎𝑏) = 𝑎 𝑏
𝑛
6. 𝑎 ( 𝑚) =𝑎
𝑚𝑛

𝑎 𝑚
𝑚
7. ( ) 𝑏
=
𝑎
𝑎
𝑚

| 2|
8. 𝑎 = |𝑎| = 𝑎
2 2

Generalization about nth roots of real numbers

Real Integer n Roots of a Example
Number a

𝑎 > 0 𝑛 > 0, n 𝑛
𝑎,− 𝑎
𝑛 4
81 = 3 ,
is even 4
− 81 =− 3

𝑎 > 0 or n is odd 𝑛
𝑎
3
− 8 =− 2
𝑎 < 0

𝑎 < 0 n is even no real − 4 is not a

roots real number

𝑎 = 0 n is even 𝑛
0= 0
5
0= 0
or odd

ei: BSCE