what are real numbers

Real numbers include all the numbers on the number line. This includes both rational and irrational numbers.

1. Rational numbers: These are numbers that can be expressed as a fraction where both the numerator and the denominator in the fraction are integers. The denominator cannot be zero. Examples of rational numbers include 7, 1/2, -3, 99, 0, etc.

2. Irrational numbers: These are numbers that cannot be expressed as a fraction. This means they cannot be written as a ratio, such as p/q, where p and q are integers. Instead, they are represented as non-repeating, non-terminating decimals. Examples of irrational numbers include the square root of 2, pi, e, etc.

Together, these two types of numbers make up the set of real numbers. Real numbers can be either positive or negative, and they include the number zero. They are called "real" because they are not imaginary, which is a different type of number that involves the square root of a negative number.