Grade 9 Number & Quantity Practice — Hard

Question 1 of 27Score 0/0Hard

Question 1 of 27: Is the product of two irrational numbers always irrational?

More Grade 9 practice

Keep going: Read the lesson: The Real Number System
Answer key for parents & teachers (27 questions)
  1. Is the product of two irrational numbers always irrational?No — √2 × √2 = 2 is rational. √2 × √2 = 2, which is rational. So the product of two irrationals is not always irrational.
  2. Which set is CLOSED under subtraction (subtracting always stays in the set)?Integers. Integers are closed under subtraction: integer − integer = integer. Natural and whole numbers fail (e.g., 3−5 = −2 is not natural/whole). Irrationals fail (√2 − √2 = 0, which is rational).
  3. A student claims that between any two rational numbers there is always an irrational number. Is this true?True — irrationals are dense in the reals too. Between any two rationals there are infinitely many irrationals (and vice versa). Both rationals and irrationals are dense in the reals.
  4. If a is rational and b is irrational, what can you say about a/b?Always irrational (unless a = 0). If a ≠ 0, then a/b is irrational. If a = 0, then 0/b = 0, which is rational. So: irrational unless a = 0.
  5. Classify: the square root of a perfect square integer is always a(n):Integer. Perfect squares (1, 4, 9, 16, …) have integer square roots (1, 2, 3, 4, …). Their roots are integers — the most specific classification.
  6. Which is larger: √2 + √3 or √5?√2 + √3. √2 ≈ 1.414, √3 ≈ 1.732, sum ≈ 3.146. √5 ≈ 2.236. So √2 + √3 > √5. Note: (√2 + √3)² = 5 + 2√6 > 5 = (√5)².
  7. Is 0.101001000100001... (a non-repeating pattern) rational or irrational?Irrational, because it neither terminates nor repeats. For a decimal to be rational it must terminate OR repeat (a fixed block cycles). This decimal has a pattern but is NOT repeating — the 1s occur after increasing gaps. It is irrational.
  8. How many irrational numbers are there between 1 and 2?Infinitely many. There are infinitely many (in fact uncountably infinitely many) irrationals between any two real numbers.
  9. Which operation on two irrational numbers can yield a rational result?Both addition and multiplication. Addition: √2 + (−√2) = 0 (rational). Multiplication: √2 × √2 = 2 (rational). Both operations can yield rational results.
  10. The number e ≈ 2.71828... is:Irrational and transcendental. e (Euler's number) is irrational (non-terminating, non-repeating) and transcendental (not a root of any polynomial with integer coefficients).
  11. If x is irrational, is x² always irrational?No — (√3)² = 3 is rational. (√3)² = 3, which is rational. Squaring an irrational number can produce a rational result.
  12. Solve for x: x^(3/2) = 27.x = 9. x^(3/2) = 27. Raise both sides to the 2/3 power: x = 27^(2/3) = (∛27)² = 3² = 9.
  13. Simplify: x^(2/3) ÷ x^(1/6).x^(1/2). Quotient rule: subtract exponents. 2/3 − 1/6 = 4/6 − 1/6 = 3/6 = 1/2. Answer: x^(1/2) = √x.
  14. If 2^x = 8, express x as a rational exponent relationship.x = log₂8 = 3. 2^x = 8 = 2³ → x = 3. This is equivalent to log₂8 = 3. Rational exponents and logarithms are closely connected.
  15. Evaluate (−27)^(2/3).9. (−27)^(2/3) = ((−27)^(1/3))² = (−3)² = 9. The cube root of −27 is −3, and (−3)² = 9.
  16. Which is larger: 4^(3/2) or 8^(2/3)?4^(3/2) = 8 is larger. 4^(3/2) = (√4)³ = 2³ = 8. 8^(2/3) = (∛8)² = 2² = 4. So 8 > 4, meaning 4^(3/2) is larger.
  17. Simplify: (8x^6)^(1/3).2x². (8x⁶)^(1/3) = 8^(1/3) · (x⁶)^(1/3) = 2 · x² = 2x². Note: 8^(1/3)=2 and (x⁶)^(1/3)=x^(6/3)=x².
  18. Solve: x^(2/3) = 4.x = ±8. Raise both sides to 3/2: x = ±4^(3/2) = ±(√4)³ = ±8. Since x^(2/3) is defined for negative x (cube root, then square), both ±8 are solutions.
  19. Simplify: (a^(1/2) · b^(1/3))^6.a³b². (a^(1/2))^6 · (b^(1/3))^6 = a^(6/2) · b^(6/3) = a³ · b². Answer: a³b².
  20. What is the multiplicative inverse of i?−i. i · (−i) = −i² = −(−1) = 1. So 1/i = −i. We say the multiplicative inverse of i is −i.
  21. Simplify √(−4) · √(−9).−6. √(−4) · √(−9) = 2i · 3i = 6i² = 6(−1) = −6. WARNING: √(a)·√(b) = √(ab) only when a,b ≥ 0.
  22. What is i^(4k+3) for any positive integer k?−i. 4k+3 divided by 4 has remainder 3. Remainder 3 always gives −i.
  23. Compute i^50 + i^51.−1−i. i^50: 50÷4 rem 2 → i²=−1. i^51: 51÷4 rem 3 → i³=−i. Sum: −1+(−i) = −1−i.
  24. (3 + 2i)(3 − 2i) equals:13. (a+bi)(a−bi) = a² + b² (the imaginary parts cancel). 3² + 2² = 9 + 4 = 13.
  25. What type of number is a + bi where a ≠ 0 and b ≠ 0?Complex (with real and imaginary parts). A number of the form a + bi with both a ≠ 0 and b ≠ 0 is a complex number that is neither purely real nor purely imaginary.
  26. Is every real number also a complex number?Yes — a real number a = a + 0i is complex. Complex numbers a + bi include all reals (when b = 0). Real numbers are a special case of complex numbers.
  27. Simplify: 1/i.−i. 1/i = 1/i × (i/i) — wait, multiply numerator and denominator by i: i/i² = i/(−1) = −i.