What you’ll learn to do: Classify real numbers as counting, whole, rational, irrational, or integers

A patchwork quilt combines many colorful pieces of fabric into an interesting pattern.

Quiltmakers know that by rearranging the same basic blocks the resulting quilts can look very different. What happens when we rearrange the numbers in an expression? Does the resulting value change? We will answer these questions in this chapter as we will learn about the properties of numbers.

A quilt is formed by sewing many different pieces of fabric together. The pieces can vary in color, size, and shape. The combinations of different kinds of pieces provide for an endless possibility of patterns. Much like the pieces of fabric, mathematicians distinguish among different types of numbers. The kinds of numbers in an expression provide for an endless possibility of outcomes. We have already described counting numbers, whole numbers, and integers. In this chapter, we will learn about other types of numbers and their properties.

Before you get started in this module, try a few practice problems and review prior concepts.