Question

How do you plot rational numbers on a number line?

Answer 1

The process to plot a rational number on a number line is as below.

Explanation:

Let the rational number be `p/q`, where `p` may be any integer (positive or negative) and `q` be a positive integer.

To plot `p/q`, draw a line of `q` units at an angle to real number line from `0` and join it to `p` units on real number line. Also mark a point one unit away from `0` on the line of length `q`.

Now draw a line from the point denoting one unit, parallel to the line joining `q` and `p` so that it cuts real number line at a point.

This point denotes the rational number `p/q`.

See figure below for details.