Can any number serve as the denominator in a rational expression?

Answer 1

The math definition of a rational number is any number a/b so that both a and b are integers, except b ( the denominator) cannot be zero. So if you can manipulate the expressions to become this form, a/b, then it is the equavilent of a rational expression. Rational algebraic expressions are similar, except they contain variables. The same condition for the denominator must be true. The entire expression in the denominator cannot equal zero, but the variable might equal zero.

Ex. a 1 / (x-1) .... x-1 cannot equal zero, which means that x cannot equal 1.

Ex. b (1/3)/(1/4) can be simplified into 4/3 which is a rational number.