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Suppose x, y, and z are all rational numbers. Is z/sqrt{x^{2}-y^2 a rational number? explain your answer

User Thertweck
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Final answer:

The expression z/√(x²-y²) is not necessarily a rational number. It depends on the values of x, y, and z. If x²-y² is a perfect square, then the expression is rational.

Step-by-step explanation:

The expression z/√(x²-y²) is not necessarily a rational number. This is because the square root √(x²-y²) can be irrational depending on the values of x and y. If x²-y² is a perfect square, then the square root will be rational and the expression z/√(x²-y²) will also be rational. However, if x²-y² is not a perfect square, then the square root will be irrational and the expression will not be rational.



For example, if x=3, y=2, and z=4, we have √(x²-y²) = √(3²-2²) = √5, which is irrational. Therefore, z/√(x²-y²) = 4/√5 is also irrational.



So, in general, the rationality of z/√(x²-y²) depends on the values of x, y, and z.

User Miroslav
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