rational number

noun

, Mathematics.

1. a number that can be expressed exactly by a ratio of two integers.

rational number

noun

1. any real number of the form a / b , where a and b are integers and b is not zero, as 7 or 7/3

rational number

1. A number that can be expressed as an integer or a quotient of integers. For example, 2, −5, and 1 2 are rational numbers.

Word History and Origins

Origin of rational number¹

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

If you zoom in on a sequence of rational numbers, you might approach a number that itself is not rational.

From Quanta Magazine

Similarly, any rational real number is distinct from the corresponding rational number.

From Project Gutenberg

When d is a given rational number, the set constitutes a subgroup which is conjugate to the group of multiplications.

From Project Gutenberg

The subgroups, each of which leaves a single rational number unchanged, therefore form a single conjugate set.

From Project Gutenberg