Solved on Dec 14, 2023

Determine if 0.3939939993999939999930.393993999399993999993\ldots is rational or irrational. The pattern of digits repeating indefinitely indicates the number is rational.

STEP 1

Assumptions
1. The given number is 0.3939939993999939999930.393993999399993999993\ldots
2. A number is rational if it can be expressed as a fraction ab\frac{a}{b}, where aa and bb are integers and b0b \neq 0.
3. A number is irrational if it cannot be expressed as a fraction of two integers.
4. A repeating decimal is a rational number.

STEP 2

Identify the pattern in the decimal part of the number.
The given number has a pattern where the number of 9s after the digit 3 increases by one each time: 39, 399, 3999, etc.

STEP 3

Express the number as a sum of its individual parts to see if it can be written as a repeating decimal.
The number can be expressed as: 0.393993999399993999993=0.3+0.09+0.0009+0.000009+0.393993999399993999993\ldots = 0.3 + 0.09 + 0.0009 + 0.000009 + \ldots

STEP 4

Recognize that this is a geometric series where the first term aa is 0.090.09 and the common ratio rr is 0.010.01.

STEP 5

Use the formula for the sum of an infinite geometric series, which is a1r\frac{a}{1-r}, where aa is the first term and rr is the common ratio.

STEP 6

Check if the common ratio rr is between 1-1 and 11 (excluding 1-1 and 11), because only then the infinite geometric series will converge to a sum.
Since r=0.01r = 0.01, we have 1<r<1-1 < r < 1, so the series converges.

STEP 7

Calculate the sum of the infinite geometric series using the formula.
S=a1rS = \frac{a}{1-r}

STEP 8

Substitute the values of aa and rr into the formula.
S=0.0910.01S = \frac{0.09}{1-0.01}

STEP 9

Simplify the denominator.
10.01=0.991 - 0.01 = 0.99

STEP 10

Calculate the sum SS.
S=0.090.99S = \frac{0.09}{0.99}

STEP 11

Simplify the fraction by dividing both the numerator and the denominator by 0.090.09.
S=0.09/0.090.99/0.09S = \frac{0.09 / 0.09}{0.99 / 0.09}

STEP 12

Perform the division.
S=111S = \frac{1}{11}

STEP 13

Now, add the initial 0.30.3 (which is 3/103/10) to the sum SS.
Total=310+111Total = \frac{3}{10} + \frac{1}{11}

STEP 14

Find a common denominator for the two fractions.
The common denominator is 10×11=11010 \times 11 = 110.

STEP 15

Express both fractions with the common denominator.
Total=3×11110+1×10110Total = \frac{3 \times 11}{110} + \frac{1 \times 10}{110}

STEP 16

Perform the multiplication.
Total=33110+10110Total = \frac{33}{110} + \frac{10}{110}

STEP 17

Add the two fractions.
Total=33+10110Total = \frac{33 + 10}{110}

STEP 18

Simplify the sum.
Total=43110Total = \frac{43}{110}

STEP 19

Since we have expressed the original number as a fraction of two integers, the number is rational.
The number 0.3939939993999939999930.393993999399993999993\ldots is rational because it can be expressed as the fraction 43110\frac{43}{110}.

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