Talk:Algebra/Real Numbers

About the Distributive Property
I know this isn't arithmetic, but I was wondering if we could describe the properties of real numbers in summary a bit, and maybe mention different ways distributive property of multiplication can be used. In the example, 15(6x - 22), I found it interesting that I could simplify this for me even further by making it into 30(3x - 11), whereas anything done to the groups of numbers inside the parenthesis must have the inverse operation performed on the object outside of it. Anything wrong with adding a note on distributive there? This chapter's pretty short at the moment, and I don't see much wrong with it ^.^;; TheAdventMaster 23:07, 29 July 2007 (UTC)

Nonstandard definitions of subsets of the integers?
I have never seen "natural number" used to refer to the set {1, 2, 3, ...}. These are called the "counting numbers", if anything, since you use them for counting. The "natural numbers" are the counting numbers plus zero, the numbers that appear in nature. (Nature often provides us with zero of something.) Finally, I have never seen "whole number" used other than synonymously with "integer". I believe this page should be modified to correct these definitions.

(This is my first ever input to WikiAnything, so apologies for newbie-like behavior.) —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 209.150.54.84 (talk • contribs).

Challenge answers
The challenge questions lack answers, I was hoping for a discussion of the "whys"

Rational and irrational numbers.
Going by the definition of rational numbers, I wonder if we can regard the rational numbers as a subset of the irrational numbers. If not, then the paragraph where the numbers listed were regarded as a subset of the numbers following needs to be edited. It seems to present the rational numbers as a subset of the irrational numbers.

Transcendental Numbers
Should we delete the section on Transcendental numbers? I don't know much about them, but it's hard to even tell if a number is one of these. If it is kept, someone should clear up the vocabulary that is hard to comprehend by a student teaching himself by using this guide. MathIsFun (talk) 03:26, 13 December 2009 (UTC)
 * I agree this section is out of place, it is not for a few section that this book defines variables, it doesn't really make sense to talk about roots of polynomial equations at this point. Thenub314 (talk) 22:32, 20 May 2010 (UTC)

To Do
I moved the section "Basic laws in Algebra" from the "Solving Equations" page. It restates the properties in a more rigorous manner, which I think is helpful, but now it needs to be edited so the merge is clearer. I added a pointer back to this page from the solving equations page. Nfgdayton (talk) 17:35, 23 July 2010 (UTC)

Would it not be better to maintain a consistent approach to all math formulae, equations, expressions, terms and pronumerals by using TeX notation in these pages. That way, people will not confuse x as multiplication $$\times $$ or $$x$$ the pronumeral.Colinf (discuss • contribs) 00:54, 31 July 2014 (UTC)