A rational quantity is a quantity that may be expressed as a fraction of two integers, a/b, the place a and b are integers and b shouldn’t be equal to zero. As an illustration, the #1/2 is a rational quantity as a result of it may be expressed as a fraction of the integers 1 and a couple of.
Rational numbers are essential in arithmetic as a result of they symbolize all numbers that may be represented as fractions. This makes them helpful for a lot of purposes, reminiscent of measuring lengths, counting objects, and fixing equations. Traditionally, the event of rational numbers was a serious advance in arithmetic.