1

Number Theory 1
The Set of Rational Numbers
The set of rational numbers include:
1)common fractions
2)improper fractions
3)exact and recurring decimals
4)integers
Base Ten
The base-ten system is sometimes called the decimal
system. It involves ten symbols.
These are: 0,1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9
Place value is the value of a specific digit in a number.
In the base-ten system any number can be placed digit by
digit in columns.

Example
thousands
3

10

hundreds
10

tens

ones

10

10

Each digit in the number 3475 has a unique place

value. The place value of 3 is Thousands. This
corresponds to 3 x

10

A number can be expanded by using powers of ten,

Example
3475 = 3 x

103

+4x

102

+7x

101

+5x

100

= 3000 + 400 + 70 + 5
= 3475

Base-Two System
The base-two system has two symbols. These are 0 and 1.
The base-two system is also called the binary
system. It has place value headings that are all powers of
two.

23

22

21

20

The base-ten number for 1011two

=1x

+0x

+1x

+1x

=8+0+2+1
= 11ten

Conversion of a base-ten number to a base-two

number
Example
2
2
2
2
2
2

27
13 R 1
6R1
3R0
1R1
0R1

27 ten =11011two
Addition of numbers in base-two
Key Addition Results for Binary Numbers
1+0=1
1 + 1 = 10
1 + 1 + 1 = 11
Example
1011
1101
1111
100111two
Subtraction of numbers in base-two
Key Subtraction Results for Binary Numbers
10=1
10 1 = 1

11 1 = 10
11101
10110
111two

Exercise
Add the following binary numbers
a) 1011 + 11
b)11011 + 1011
c) 10111 + 11010 + 111
d)101101 + 1010 + 101101
Subtract the following binary numbers
a) 11 - 10
b)110 - 11
c) 1111 - 110
d)110101 - 1010
e) 1111 - 111

Base Five
The base-five system has two symbols.
1)These are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4
2)It has place value headings that are all powers of five.
53

52

51

50

The base-ten number for 3241five

=3x

53

+2x

52

+4x

51

+1x

50

= 375 + 50 + 20 + 1
= 446ten
Conversion of a base ten number to a base five
number
Example
5
5
5
5
5

446
89 R 1
17 R 4
3R2
0R3

446ten = 3241five
Addition of numerals in base-five
Example
123
342
423
1443five
Subtraction of numbers in base-five
Example
1020
342
123five

Base Eight System

The base-eight-system has eight-symbols. These are 0, 1,

2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
The base-eight system is also called the octal system. It
has place value headings that are all powers of
eight.
8

The base-ten number for 1572eight

=1x

83

+5x

82

+7x

81

+2x

80

= 512 + 320 + 56 + 2
= 890ten`
Conversion of a base-ten number to a base-eight
number
Example
8

890

8
8
8

111 R 2
13 R 7
1R5
0R1

890ten = 1572eight

Addition of numbers in base eight

Example
1527
3426
4235
11412eight
Subtraction of numbers in base-eight
Example
1720
1342

10

356eight