Class

A rational number can be represented as a pair of integer numbers: a/b (b>0), where a is the numerator and b is the denominator. Integer a equals rational a/1 mathematically.

In Ruby, you can create rational objects with the Kernel#Rational, to_r, or rationalize methods or by suffixing r to a literal. The return values will be irreducible fractions.

Rational(1)      #=> (1/1)
Rational(2, 3)   #=> (2/3)
Rational(4, -6)  #=> (-2/3)
3.to_r           #=> (3/1)
2/3r             #=> (2/3)

You can also create rational objects from floating-point numbers or strings.

Rational(0.3)    #=> (5404319552844595/18014398509481984)
Rational('0.3')  #=> (3/10)
Rational('2/3')  #=> (2/3)

0.3.to_r         #=> (5404319552844595/18014398509481984)
'0.3'.to_r       #=> (3/10)
'2/3'.to_r       #=> (2/3)
0.3.rationalize  #=> (3/10)

A rational object is an exact number, which helps you to write programs without any rounding errors.

10.times.inject(0) {|t| t + 0.1 }              #=> 0.9999999999999999
10.times.inject(0) {|t| t + Rational('0.1') }  #=> (1/1)

However, when an expression includes an inexact component (numerical value or operation), it will produce an inexact result.

Rational(10) / 3   #=> (10/3)
Rational(10) / 3.0 #=> 3.3333333333333335

Rational(-8) ** Rational(1, 3)
                   #=> (1.0000000000000002+1.7320508075688772i)
Class Methods

Deserializes JSON string by converting numerator value n, denominator value d, to a Rational object.

Instance Methods

Performs multiplication.

Rational(2, 3)  * Rational(2, 3)   #=> (4/9)
Rational(900)   * Rational(1)      #=> (900/1)
Rational(-2, 9) * Rational(-9, 2)  #=> (1/1)
Rational(9, 8)  * 4                #=> (9/2)
Rational(20, 9) * 9.8              #=> 21.77777777777778

Performs exponentiation.

Rational(2)    ** Rational(3)     #=> (8/1)
Rational(10)   ** -2              #=> (1/100)
Rational(10)   ** -2.0            #=> 0.01
Rational(-4)   ** Rational(1, 2)  #=> (0.0+2.0i)
Rational(1, 2) ** 0               #=> (1/1)
Rational(1, 2) ** 0.0             #=> 1.0

Performs addition.

Rational(2, 3)  + Rational(2, 3)   #=> (4/3)
Rational(900)   + Rational(1)      #=> (901/1)
Rational(-2, 9) + Rational(-9, 2)  #=> (-85/18)
Rational(9, 8)  + 4                #=> (41/8)
Rational(20, 9) + 9.8              #=> 12.022222222222222

Performs subtraction.

Rational(2, 3)  - Rational(2, 3)   #=> (0/1)
Rational(900)   - Rational(1)      #=> (899/1)
Rational(-2, 9) - Rational(-9, 2)  #=> (77/18)
Rational(9, 8)  - 4                #=> (-23/8)
Rational(20, 9) - 9.8              #=> -7.577777777777778

Negates rat.

Performs division.

Rational(2, 3)  / Rational(2, 3)   #=> (1/1)
Rational(900)   / Rational(1)      #=> (900/1)
Rational(-2, 9) / Rational(-9, 2)  #=> (4/81)
Rational(9, 8)  / 4                #=> (9/32)
Rational(20, 9) / 9.8              #=> 0.22675736961451246

Returns -1, 0, or +1 depending on whether rational is less than, equal to, or greater than numeric.

nil is returned if the two values are incomparable.

Rational(2, 3) <=> Rational(2, 3)  #=> 0
Rational(5)    <=> 5               #=> 0
Rational(2, 3) <=> Rational(1, 3)  #=> 1
Rational(1, 3) <=> 1               #=> -1
Rational(1, 3) <=> 0.3             #=> 1

Rational(1, 3) <=> "0.3"           #=> nil

Returns true if rat equals object numerically.

Rational(2, 3)  == Rational(2, 3)   #=> true
Rational(5)     == 5                #=> true
Rational(0)     == 0.0              #=> true
Rational('1/3') == 0.33             #=> false
Rational('1/2') == '1/2'            #=> false

Returns the absolute value of rat.

(1/2r).abs    #=> (1/2)
(-1/2r).abs   #=> (1/2)

Rational#magnitude is an alias for Rational#abs.

Returns a hash, that will be turned into a JSON object and represent this object.

Returns the smallest number greater than or equal to rat with a precision of ndigits decimal digits (default: 0).

When the precision is negative, the returned value is an integer with at least ndigits.abs trailing zeros.

Returns a rational when ndigits is positive, otherwise returns an integer.

Rational(3).ceil      #=> 3
Rational(2, 3).ceil   #=> 1
Rational(-3, 2).ceil  #=> -1

  #    decimal      -  1  2  3 . 4  5  6
  #                   ^  ^  ^  ^   ^  ^
  #   precision      -3 -2 -1  0  +1 +2

Rational('-123.456').ceil(+1).to_f  #=> -123.4
Rational('-123.456').ceil(-1)       #=> -120

Returns the denominator (always positive).

Rational(7).denominator             #=> 1
Rational(7, 1).denominator          #=> 1
Rational(9, -4).denominator         #=> 4
Rational(-2, -10).denominator       #=> 5

Performs division and returns the value as a Float.

Rational(2, 3).fdiv(1)       #=> 0.6666666666666666
Rational(2, 3).fdiv(0.5)     #=> 1.3333333333333333
Rational(2).fdiv(3)          #=> 0.6666666666666666

Returns the largest number less than or equal to rat with a precision of ndigits decimal digits (default: 0).

When the precision is negative, the returned value is an integer with at least ndigits.abs trailing zeros.

Returns a rational when ndigits is positive, otherwise returns an integer.

Rational(3).floor      #=> 3
Rational(2, 3).floor   #=> 0
Rational(-3, 2).floor  #=> -2

  #    decimal      -  1  2  3 . 4  5  6
  #                   ^  ^  ^  ^   ^  ^
  #   precision      -3 -2 -1  0  +1 +2

Rational('-123.456').floor(+1).to_f  #=> -123.5
Rational('-123.456').floor(-1)       #=> -130

Returns the value as a string for inspection.

Rational(2).inspect      #=> "(2/1)"
Rational(-8, 6).inspect  #=> "(-4/3)"
Rational('1/2').inspect  #=> "(1/2)"

Returns true if rat is less than 0.

Returns the numerator.

Rational(7).numerator        #=> 7
Rational(7, 1).numerator     #=> 7
Rational(9, -4).numerator    #=> -9
Rational(-2, -10).numerator  #=> 1

Returns true if rat is greater than 0.

Returns a simpler approximation of the value if the optional argument eps is given (rat-|eps| <= result <= rat+|eps|), self otherwise.

r = Rational(5033165, 16777216)
r.rationalize                    #=> (5033165/16777216)
r.rationalize(Rational('0.01'))  #=> (3/10)
r.rationalize(Rational('0.1'))   #=> (1/3)

Returns rat rounded to the nearest value with a precision of ndigits decimal digits (default: 0).

When the precision is negative, the returned value is an integer with at least ndigits.abs trailing zeros.

Returns a rational when ndigits is positive, otherwise returns an integer.

Rational(3).round      #=> 3
Rational(2, 3).round   #=> 1
Rational(-3, 2).round  #=> -2

  #    decimal      -  1  2  3 . 4  5  6
  #                   ^  ^  ^  ^   ^  ^
  #   precision      -3 -2 -1  0  +1 +2

Rational('-123.456').round(+1).to_f  #=> -123.5
Rational('-123.456').round(-1)       #=> -120

The optional half keyword argument is available similar to Float#round.

Rational(25, 100).round(1, half: :up)    #=> (3/10)
Rational(25, 100).round(1, half: :down)  #=> (1/5)
Rational(25, 100).round(1, half: :even)  #=> (1/5)
Rational(35, 100).round(1, half: :up)    #=> (2/5)
Rational(35, 100).round(1, half: :down)  #=> (3/10)
Rational(35, 100).round(1, half: :even)  #=> (2/5)
Rational(-25, 100).round(1, half: :up)   #=> (-3/10)
Rational(-25, 100).round(1, half: :down) #=> (-1/5)
Rational(-25, 100).round(1, half: :even) #=> (-1/5)

Returns the value as a BigDecimal.

The required precision parameter is used to determine the number of significant digits for the result.

require 'bigdecimal'
require 'bigdecimal/util'

Rational(22, 7).to_d(3)   # => 0.314e1

See also BigDecimal::new.

Returns the value as a Float.

Rational(2).to_f      #=> 2.0
Rational(9, 4).to_f   #=> 2.25
Rational(-3, 4).to_f  #=> -0.75
Rational(20, 3).to_f  #=> 6.666666666666667

Returns the truncated value as an integer.

Equivalent to Rational#truncate.

Rational(2, 3).to_i    #=> 0
Rational(3).to_i       #=> 3
Rational(300.6).to_i   #=> 300
Rational(98, 71).to_i  #=> 1
Rational(-31, 2).to_i  #=> -15

Stores class name (Rational) along with numerator value n and denominator value d as JSON string

Returns self.

Rational(2).to_r      #=> (2/1)
Rational(-8, 6).to_r  #=> (-4/3)

Returns the value as a string.

Rational(2).to_s      #=> "2/1"
Rational(-8, 6).to_s  #=> "-4/3"
Rational('1/2').to_s  #=> "1/2"

Returns rat truncated (toward zero) to a precision of ndigits decimal digits (default: 0).

When the precision is negative, the returned value is an integer with at least ndigits.abs trailing zeros.

Returns a rational when ndigits is positive, otherwise returns an integer.

Rational(3).truncate      #=> 3
Rational(2, 3).truncate   #=> 0
Rational(-3, 2).truncate  #=> -1

  #    decimal      -  1  2  3 . 4  5  6
  #                   ^  ^  ^  ^   ^  ^
  #   precision      -3 -2 -1  0  +1 +2

Rational('-123.456').truncate(+1).to_f  #=> -123.4
Rational('-123.456').truncate(-1)       #=> -120