From: Loyd <Loydlin@aol.com>
To: Teacher2Teacher Public Discussion
Date: 2003042409:45:47
Subject: Re: irrational numbers

On 2003042320:15:30, joel goldentyer wrote:
>	
>    How do I convert from the decimal form of an irrational number to
>a 'simpler' form like the square root of 2 over two?  Thanks 
>


Even the square root of 2 over 2 can't be expressed as an exact
decimal.  0.70710678118654752440084436210485 is only accurate to about
32 places.  But that is not exact because this decimal never repeats. 
So, a person could guess that the number could be derived by dividing
square root of two by 2, but it is not an exact answer.

That is why we call these numbers irrational.  But as some say, it is
close enough for government work.

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