What are rational numbers?

Rational numbers are defined as numbers that can be expressed as the quotient of two integers, where the denominator is not zero. This means that any number in the form of ( \frac{a}{b} ), where ( a ) and ( b ) are integers and ( b ) is not zero, qualifies as a rational number. This includes all integers, since any integer can be represented as a fraction (for example, ( 5 ) can be expressed as ( \frac{5}{1} )), as well as proper and improper fractions.

The definition provided in the answer captures the essence of rational numbers accurately by focusing on their ability to be expressed as a fraction involving integers. It is important to note that rational numbers can also include terminating decimals (like ( 0.5 ), which is the same as ( \frac{1}{2} )) and repeating decimals (like ( 0.333... ), which can be expressed as ( \frac{1}{3} )).

In contrast, the other options either narrow the definition too much or include numbers that are not considered rational, such as non-terminating decimals that do not repeat. Therefore, the best representation of rational numbers