The concept of irrational numbers was discovered at an early age when people found it challenging to find the square and cube root of a number that are not whole numbers. Irrational numbers solved this problem as opposed to rational numbers. They go on forever after the decimal point without repeating numbers. Hence they are also known as non-terminating or non-repeating numbers.
The concept of Irrational numbers was discovered by the Greek mathematician Hippasus in the 5th century BC. He discovered irrational numbers after studying the right isosceles triangle whose base sides measure 1 unit have a hypotenuse of root 2. This led Hippasus to conclude that root 2 is an irrational number. The famous Pythagoras Theorem states the same. But here’s an astonishing detail to this story. Hippasus was thrown into a sea after discovering irrational numbers! Yes, you read it right. This was because he was a member of a quasi-religious order group called the Pythagoreans who believed that ‘all the numbers in the universe are made up of whole numbers only. Sadly, Hippasus had to lose his life after this greatest discovery as the group sentenced him to death by drowning.
All irrational numbers are real numbers, but the concept of irrational numbers can be complex sometimes. Hence online learning platforms like Cuemath conduct live classes that use modern teaching methods like visualization, logical, and reasoning skills. The Cuemath way of teaching helps students get a crystal clear understanding of the topics.
Now that we know the history of irrational numbers let us explore this topic in detail. We will first go through the basic definition of irrational numbers and then find some real-world applications of irrational numbers. Let us begin.
Defining Irrational Numbers
Irrational numbers are the set of numbers that cannot be expressed in the ratio of two whole numbers. When irrational numbers are expressed in the decimal form, they go on forever, even after the decimal point without repeating numbers. Thus they are also known as non-terminating non-repeating numbers.
Also, irrational numbers cannot be expressed in the standard form of p/q, unlike rational numbers. Irrational numbers have no set notations, and the most famous irrational number is under root two. Now that you know what an irrational number is, let us explore some of its applications in our day-to-day lives.
Uses of Irrational Numbers
Irrational numbers have a lot of practical applications in our day-to-day life. Sometimes, irrational numbers are not directly used, but their components are used in other concepts that have direct applications. Some of the applications of irrational numbers are quite surprising. Following are some of the benefits of irrational numbers:
Money: Irrational numbers are used for calculating the compound interest on loans. Here, the sum of infinite series is used.
Construction: In construction, where there is a need to build structures that are cylindrical in shape, irrational numbers can be used to calculate the structure using pi. Also, the circumference of any circular object is calculated with the help of irrational numbers.
Design and Engineering: The concept of e or Euler’s number is quite popular but these components are not used directly but have indirect applications in fields like engineering and design. It is also used for the processing of signals, calculations, speedometers, and uses this concept. Apart from these, irrational numbers have many other indirect uses in our real life.
These were some of the uses of irrational numbers in our day-to-day life. I hope you enjoyed reading this article. If you have more questions, you can comment down below.
