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Activities Using WA
WA Activity # 1 ‐‐ Real Numbers
Go to http://www.wolframalpha.com. If this is your first visit to the website click on “Stephen
Wolfram’s Intro” to see A Quick Introduction to Wolfram|Alpha.
To begin our activities, type "2+3*4” into the WA search engine. Use the results to answer the
following questions.
1. What is the Result? Explain how they got the answer.
2. What if you wanted to add the 2 + 3 first, then multiply that answer by 4? How would you
type that command into WA? Hint: Use parentheses. What is the answer now? Is it the same
answer, or is it a different answer? Why?
Type "2+3/5” into the WA search engine. Use the results to answer the following questions.
3. What is the Exact result? Prove the Egyptian fraction expansion is equivalent to the Exact
result.
4. What if you wanted to add 2 + 3 first then divide that answer by 5? How would you type that
command into WA? What is the answer?
Type "real numbers” into the WA search engine. Use the results to answer the following
questions.
5. What is a real number? (P.S. WA doesn’t tell you; find another resource.)
6. The first category is “Integers.” Click on the “equal” sign to see some properties of an integer.
State one property of the number you picked or WA picked for you.
7. Click on the “equal” sign to see the prime factorization of an integer. What does “prime
factorization” mean? State the prime factorization of the number you picked or WA picked for
you.
8. Scroll down through the page. Click on the “equal” sign of any topic. Much of what you see
will be studied later in the course.
9. Scroll down to “Historical Numbers.” What is the number WA converted from Roman
numerals to standard number notation? Name one of the other antique number systems WA
displayed.
10. Go back to the top of the page and click on the “Integers” link. Click on the “Number
Theory” link. Scroll down and pick one of the “equals” signs to click on, or click further on one
of the hyperlinks such as “Divisors” or “Special Numbers.” Explain what you found.
Real Numbers 2 Intermediate Algebra
Activities Using WA
Type "5/6+3/4” into the WA search engine. Use the results to answer the following questions.
11. What’s the answer? Give four different forms of the answer as a fraction, as a mixed
number, as a decimal approximation to six places and as a decimal using the repeat bar.
12. Click on “Show Steps.” Why are you allowed to multiply top and bottom of a fraction by 2?
Why are you allowed to multiply top and bottom of a fraction by 3?
Type "6%” into the WA search engine. Use the results to answer the following questions.
13. What is 6% expressed as a decimal?
14. The rational approximation is 3/50. How close of an “approximation” is this?
15. If you were given the fraction 3/50 how would you convert it by hand, using paper and
pencil, to a percentage? Do it; show your work.
Type “6% of 45” into the WA search engine. Use the results to answer the following questions.
16. What is 6% of 45?
17. Can you explain the “Decimal interpretation?” What are they doing?
18. What happens to the result when you click on “Exact form” then back on “Approximate
form?”
Type “5 is what % of 16” into the WA search engine. Use the results to answer the following
questions.
19. What is the answer?
20. How would you find the answer by hand, using paper and pencil? Do it; show your work.
Type each of the following into WA and find the answer.
21. ‐73 + 46
22. ‐57(‐12)
23. 48/19. Round the answer to six places past the decimal, if necessary.
24. The letters “abs” give you the absolute value. Find abs(‐33+8).
25. abs(‐174)‐(‐29).
Real Numbers 3 Intermediate Algebra
Activities Using WA
26. Type “24 divided by 7/8” into the WA search engine. What’s the answer?
27. Type “24/(7/8)” into the WA search engine. Is this the same as the previous question? Why
or why not?
28. Type “24/7/8” into the WA search engine. Is this the same as the previous question? Why or
why not?
29. Type “(24/7)/8” into the WA search engine. Is this the same as the previous question? Why
or why not?
30. Type “(‐2)^3” into the WA search engine. What’s the answer? Write it out in factored form;
that is, exactly what is being multiplied times itself and how many times?
31. Type “‐2^3” into the WA search engine. What’s the answer? Write it out in factored form;
that is, exactly what is being multiplied times itself and how many times?
Type "sqrt(8)” which is short for “the square root of 8” into the WA search engine. Use the
results to answer the following questions.
32. Why is the result ? Explain; show your work.
33. Is a rational or irrational number? Click on Fraction form. If it’s irrational why does WA
give a “fraction form” of the answer?
34. What is 2 + ? Give the answer as a fraction and as a decimal approximation to six places
past the decimal.
35. Simplify 2 + ? Give the answer as a fraction and as a decimal approximation to six
places.
36. Okay, one more. Simplify 2 + ? Give the answer as a fraction and as a decimal
approximation to six places.
37. Use WA or your calculator. What is the decimal approximation of to six places? Are we
getting closer to the decimal approximation of ? You probably noticed the further out you
go, the closer you do get. This concept is called a “limit” and is something studied in higher level
math courses. What’s mind‐boggling is that by going further and further out, you can get as
close as you want to the exact answer but you’ll NEVER get there. So, yes, is an irrational
number but WA gives a “continued fraction” with which we can get as close as we want to!