Abstract: This chapter discusses sequences and series. The numbers 1, 2, 3, …, are called positive integers. The number 0 belongs neither to the positive nor to the negative numbers. The fractional numbers, i. e. numbers of the form p/q, where p and q are integers and q ≠ 0, are called also rational numbers. For rational numbers, the four arithmetical operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division can always be carried out. Geometrically, real numbers may be interpreted as points of a straight line upon which are fixed two points representing 0 and 1. These two points make it possible easily to construct all the rational points on this line, which is called the numerical line. Reasons of a geometric as well as of an algebraic nature suggest that we include in the notion of number all real numbers, i. e. irrational numbers as well as rational numbers.
Publication Year: 1969
Publication Date: 1969-01-01
Language: en
Type: book-chapter
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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