| a number that cannot be exactly expressed as a ratio of two integers. |
| irrational number n. Any real number that cannot be expressed as a ratio between two integers. |
irrational number  (ĭ-rāsh'ə-nəl) Pronunciation Key
A number that cannot be expressed as a ratio between two integers and is not an imaginary number. If written in decimal notation, an irrational number would have an infinite number of digits to the right of the decimal point, without repetition. Pi and the square root of 2 (√2) are irrational numbers. |
irrational number mathematics
A real number which is not a rational number, i.e. it is not the ratio of two integers.
The decimal expansion of an irrational is infinite but does not end in an infinite repeating sequence of digits.
Examples of irrational numbers are pi, e and the square root of two.
(1995-04-12)