Contents

Real Numbers ............................................................................................................................2

What are Real Numbers? .........................................................................................................2
Definition of Real Numbers.....................................................................................................2
Types of Real Numbers ...........................................................................................................2
Rational Numbers ................................................................................................................2
Irrational Numbers ..............................................................................................................3
Symbol of Real Numbers ........................................................................................................3
Subsets of Real Numbers .........................................................................................................3
Properties of Real Numbers .....................................................................................................5
Exponential and Logarithmic Equations .................................................................................7
Exponential Equations .............................................................................................................7
Logarithmic Equations ............................................................................................................8

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Real Numbers
Any number found in the real world is a real number. Examples of numbers can be seen
everywhere such as natural numbers beings use to count, rational numbers being used to
represent fractions. To calculate square root we use irrational numbers and the list goes one. All
these different types make up real numbers as a whole.

What are Real Numbers?

Any number except complex numbers will be considered as real numbers. Set of real numbers is
denoted by ℝ

We can say that ℝ is a union of rational numbers (𝑄) and irrational numbers (𝑃) and it can be
written as

ℝ=𝑄∪𝑃

This means that real numbers will include natural, whole, and rational numbers and integers and
irrational numbers.

For Example: 1, 30, – 25, √45, 6.206 all are real numbers

Definition of Real Numbers

Real numbers consist of rational numbers such as positive and negative integers, fractional
numbers and irrational numbers. So what numbers will be considered not real?

Non– real numbers would mean that these numbers will have to be neither rational nor irrational.
So numbers such as 2𝑖, 2– 𝑖, 23 + 6𝑖 are all imaginary numbers. These numbers are known as
complex numbers.

Types of Real Numbers

Real numbers include both rational numbers and irrational numbers. This means that no matter
what number (as long as it is not a complex number) is taken from any place it will be a real
number. There is no real number that won’t be rational or irrational.

So real numbers can be classified into two main types (though they have five subsets that will be
discussed later under this topic)

Rational Numbers
p
Rational numbers can be defined as any number that can be written in q form where the
numerator is represented by the letter p and the denominator is called by q.

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 p
q where 𝑞 ≠ 0

A rational number can be any natural or whole number, can be a decimal and can be an integer as
well.

For Example:
2 –6
, 0.87, 230,
7 7

All the fractions and decimals given above are rational numbers.

Irrational Numbers
Those numbers that cannot be expressed as a simple fraction are known as irrational numbers.
This means that suppose that I are irrational numbers. These numbers i.e I cannot be expressed
p
as q where p is the numerator q is the denominator.

For Example: A popular example of irrational numbers is π = 3.14159265… This number will
go on and has no end. Other examples of irrational numbers are

√21, √35, √3 etc.

None of these numbers can be written in fractional form and are therefore irrational.

Symbol of Real Numbers

Real numbers are represented by the symbol ℝ. The representation of other types of numbers in
given below.

 N - Natural numbers
 W - Whole numbers
 Z - Integers
 Q - Rational numbers
 P - Irrational numbers

Subsets of Real Numbers

As it has been discussed that all numbers with the exception of complex numbers are real
numbers, there a total of five subsets of real numbers and they are arse follows.

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Rational numbers: We have discussed rational numbers above as well. The numbers that can
p
be written in the form of a fraction q , where p and q are integers and q is not equal to zero are

rational numbers. Their solution set of rational numbers can be

5
𝑄 = {−3, 0, −6, , 3.23}
6
Natural numbers: All the positive counting numbers comprise of the set of natural numbers,
𝑁 = {1, 2, 3, . . . }
Whole numbers: The set of natural numbers including the number 0 represents the set of whole
numbers.
𝑊 = {0, 1, 2, 3, . . }
Integers: All numbers let them be positive counting numbers, negative numbers, and zero will
make up the set of integers.
𝑍 = {. . . , −3, −2, −1, 0, 1, 2, 3, . . . }
Irrational numbers: Irrational numbers will be described as numbers that are either the square
roots of positive rational numbers or the cube roots cube roots of rational numbers (including the
negative numbers) such as √2, come under the set of irrational numbers.
𝑃 = {−√2, √3, √6}

From the sets mentioned, he sets N, W, and Z are the subsets of Q. The following table shows
which if the sets mentioned above are part of real numbers and also shows the relationship
between all the numbers mentioned above.

Number set Is it a part of the set of real numbers?

Natural Numbers Yes
Whole Numbers Yes
Integers Yes
Rational Numbers Yes
Irrational Numbers Yes
Complex Numbers No

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Properties of Real Numbers
Much like natural numbers and integers, real numbers also have a few properties that they
follow. These properties are listed below.

Closure Property: The closure property states that if two real numbers are being added or
multiplied their sum and product will always be a real number. The closure property of ℝ is stated
as follows:

𝑎, 𝑏 ∈ ℝ,
𝑎 + 𝑏 ∈ ℝ and 𝑎𝑏 ∈ ℝ

Associative Property: This property of real numbers states that the sum or product of any three
real numbers remains the same even when the grouping of numbers is changed. The associative
property of ℝ is stated as follows:

If a, b, c ∈ ℝ,

𝑎 + (𝑏 + 𝑐) = (𝑎 + 𝑏) + 𝑐

And,
𝑎 × (𝑏 × 𝑐) = (𝑎 × 𝑏) × 𝑐

Commutative Property: It is stated in this property that the sum and the product of two real
numbers remain the same even after interchanging the order of the numbers. The commutative
property of ℝ is stated as follows:

If a, b ∈ ℝ,

𝑎 + 𝑏 = 𝑏 + 𝑎

And,
𝑎 × 𝑏 = 𝑏 × 𝑎

Distributive Property: Real numbers (ℝ) also satisfies the distributive property.

The distributive property of multiplication over addition is,

𝑎 × (𝑏 + 𝑐) = (𝑎 × 𝑏) + (𝑎 × 𝑐)

The distributive property of multiplication over subtraction is,

𝑎 × (𝑏 − 𝑐) = (𝑎 × 𝑏) − (𝑎 × 𝑐)

The picture given below shows relation between all types of numbers:

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Exponential and Logarithmic Equations
Exponential Equations
In an exponential equation, the variable occurs in the exponent. As we know that exponential
functions are one-to-one we can use this to solve many exponential equations. Basically, this
would mean that. O

𝑎𝑥 = 𝑎𝑦 ⇒ 𝑥 = 𝑦

Using this property we will solve a few examples.

For Example: Solve the following

(i) 6𝑥 = 216

Our first step would be to express 216 as an exponent, with a base of 6. This will allow us to use
the rule we stated above, using the fact that 𝑓 (𝑥 ) = 5𝑥 is a one-to-one function.

6𝑥 = 216 Given equation

6 𝑥 = 63 Using one-to-one property
𝑥=3 Solve for the variable 𝓍

The answer of the equation in 3

(ii) 72𝑥 = 7−𝑥+3

Using the fact that 𝑓 (𝑥 ) = 72𝑥 is a one-to-one function

72𝑥 = 7−𝑥+3 Given equation

2𝑥 = −𝑥 + 3 Using one-to-one property
𝑥=1 Solve for the variable 𝓍

This cannot always be useful as it cannot be applied. Say an exponential equation 5𝑥 = 34 will
not be able to be solved by the one-to-one property as converting 34 into in an exponent with
base 5 is not simple. Instead we will take log on both sides of such an equation to solve this. The
following guidelines should be followed to solve such exponential equations

Guidelines to Follow for Solving Exponential Equations

1. First step would be to isolate the exponential expression on one side of the equation.

2. Next, take the logarithm of each side, using Laws of Logarithms to (as the term goes)
“bring down the exponent.”

3. Last step would be to solve for the variable.

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Example: Solve the following

(i) 4𝑥−3 = 10

4𝑥−3 = 10 Given equation

log 4𝑥−3 = log 10 Taking log on both sides
(𝑥 − 3) log 4 = log 10 Bringing the exponent down
log 4
(𝑥 − 3) = Dividing by log 3
log 10
log 4
𝑥= +3 Adding 3 on both sides
log 10
𝑥 = 3.602 Calculator for approximate value

The answer is 3.602

(ii) 4𝑒 2𝑥 = 32

4𝑒 2𝑥 = 32 Given equation
𝑒 2𝑥 = 8 Dividing both sides by 4
ln 𝑒 2𝑥 = ln 8 Taking ln on both sides
2𝑥 = ln 8 Property of ln
ln 8
𝑥= Dividing by 2 on both sides
2
𝑥 = 1.039
Calculator for approximate value
The value of 𝓍 is 1.039

(iii) 𝑒 3𝑥+4 = 2

𝑒 3𝑥+4 = 2 Given equation

ln 𝑒 3𝑥+4 = ln 2 Taking ln on both sides
3𝑥 + 4 = ln 2 Property of ln
3𝑥 = ln 2 − 4 Subtracting by 4
ln 2 – 4
𝑥= Dividing by 3 on both sides
3
Calculator for approximate value
𝑥 = −1.102

The answer is – 1.102

(iv) Type equation here.

Logarithmic Equations

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An equation in which the logarithm of the variable occurs is called logarithmic equation. Much
like exponential equations, logarithmic equations are also one-to-one and this property can be
used to solve these types of equations

log a 𝑥 = log 𝑎 𝑦 ⇒ 𝑥 = 𝑦

For Example: Solve the following equation

(i) log(𝑥 2 − 1) = log(𝑥 + 2) + log(𝑥 + 3)

log(𝑥 2 – 1) = log(𝑥 + 2) + log(𝑥 + 3)

log(𝑥 2 – 1) = log[(𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 + 3)] Given equation
log(𝑥 2 – 1) = log(𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6) Using property of log
𝑥 2 − 1 = 𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6 Expand
7 log is one-to-one
𝑥=
5 Solve for 𝓍
7
The answer to this logarithmic equation is 5

But this method cannot be applicable to all logarithmic functions such as log 𝑥 = 13 because the
right side cannot be expressed in terms of log. For such equations we use the following
guidelines

Guidelines for Solving Logarithmic Equations

1. The first step would be to isolate the logarithmic terms on one side. If necessary, first
combine the terms.

2. Second step is to write equations in exponential form

3. Last step would be to solve for the variable

For Example: Solve the following equations

(i) ln 𝑥 = 6

ln 𝑥 = 6 Given equation
𝑒 ln 𝑥 = 𝑒 6 Raising both sides to e
𝑥 = 𝑒6 Property of ln applied
Therefore the answer is 𝑒 6 ≈ 403

(ii) log2 (30 − 𝑥 ) = 2

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 log 2(30 − 𝑥 ) = 2 Given equation

30 − 𝑥 = 22 Raising 2 to each side

30 − 𝑥 = 4 Solve for 𝓍

𝑥 = 30 − 4 = 26

The answer of this equation is 26.

(iii) 4 + 6 log 3𝑥 = 10

4 + 6 log 3𝑥 = 10 Given equation

6 log 3𝑥 = 6 Subtracting 4 from each side
log 3𝑥 = 1 Dividing by 6
3𝑥 = 101 Raise 10 on each side
𝑥 = 3.33 Divide both sides by 3

The answer is of this logarithmic function 3.33

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