Objectives: To express rational numbers as decimals, to write repeating or terminating decimals in fractional form, and to determinne whether a decimal is a rational or irrational number.

Definition: A rational number is a real number that can be expressed as the quotient of two integers a and b,
where b does not equal 0. Note that ever integer a is a rational number because a = a/1.

Rational numbers can be expressed as decimals. Some rational numbers can be expressed as terminating decimals,
such as 1/2 = 0.5 Others are repeating decimals, such as 2/3 = 0.6666... The sixes repeat indefinately. Numbers that are irrational are nonrepeating decimals, such as 2.525525552... Irrational numbers have no pattern, and cannot be expressed in the form a/b.

Examples
a.) Express each rational number as a decimal: divide the numerator by the denominator.
3/4 = 0.75;  -5/8 = -0.625

b.) Write a fraction a/b, where a and b are integers, for each repeating decimal. Let n = the decimal. Multiply each side of the equation by ten since exactly one digit repeats. Subtract the first equation from the second: