### 3.3 Rational Numbers

In order for division to admissible in all cases, except division by $Math content$, the whole numbers have to supplemented by the “broken numbers” to the set of rational numbers $Math content$ Rational numbers contain the whole numbers as sub set

$Math content$

$Math content$

When written as a decimal number rational numbers are decimal numbers with a remainder that has a finite length or with periodically repeating digits.

There is no largest rational number.

It is obvious, that whole numbers are rare special cases of rational numbers. Between two subsequent whole numbers there are infinitely many rational numbers

Division by zero is still not a well defined inversion of multiplication and remains formally excluded. If one starts from the concept of zero as the limit of a sequence of nearly infinitely small positive or negative rational numbers, then division by zero would be equivalent to the definition of nearly infinite positive or negative numbers. In this symbolic sense division by zero can be associated with a sequence that has a limit of $Math content$.

Taking the power of a number is defined for rational numbers as repeated multiplication with whole numbers $Math content$ as exponent by

$Math content$

$Math content$

Taking the $Math content$-th root is the logical inversion of taking the power. In the domain of rational numbers root taking is possible

1. if the exponent $Math content$ of the root is odd
2. or when for even root exponents the original number (the radicand, the number under the root sign ) is positive.
3. and if in both cases the operation results in rational numbers which is only the case for rare radicands, that can be reduced to fractions of powers, for example $Math content$