If I enter the expression

35+42√2

into my graphing calculator and then ask it for the fractional (rational) equivalent it cannot do so. Since the number is irrational it displays the first few decimal digits:

94.39696962

However, if I enter the expression

55+42√2

into the same graphing calculator and then ask it for the fractional equivalent it displays:

37751
-----
 330 

But this second number I entered is clearly not rational either.

What's going on?

The number 96 repeats three times in a row, so the calculator assumes the number is rational.

Posted by Math Man on 2015-05-30 15:18:16