Final answer:
Among the given options, 5 is the rational number because it can be expressed as the fraction 5/1, whereas √3 is an irrational number with a non-repeating and non-terminating decimal expansion.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine which of the given options is a rational number, we must understand that a rational number is any number that can be expressed as a fraction æ where p and q are integers, and q is not equal to zero.
For instance, considering integer powers, 5¹ is simply 5, which can certainly be expressed as a fraction (5/1), making it a rational number. However, √3 cannot be expressed as a fraction of two integers as it is an irrational number. Its decimal expansion is non-repeating and non-terminating. Therefore, the rational number among the two options given is 5.