Final answer:
The ratio x/y, being a rational number, can only be a real number. Rational numbers are expressed as fractions of integers and are always real, not irrational, imaginary, or complex.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question concerns the nature of the ratio x/y given that it is a rational number. A rational number is defined as a number that can be expressed as the quotient or fraction p/q of two integers, where p and q are integers and q is not equal to zero. Since x/y is defined as a rational number, this means that x and y must be integers, and y cannot be zero.
The possible values for x/y, considering it is a rational number, are:
c. Real numbers
A rational number is always a real number because it can be represented as a point on the number line. However, rational numbers cannot be irrational, imaginary, or complex numbers. Therefore, options a (irrational numbers), b (imaginary numbers), and d (complex numbers) are not correct in this context.