A VISUALIZATION PROPOSAL FOR IRRATIONAL NUMBERS: THE NUMBER e AND π

This study is realized to make individuals understand that irrational numbers are expressed by “infinite decimal numbers that do not repeat”. For this, a visual model proposal for the teaching of irrational numbers is presented. This visual model is based on e= and π= numbers which are often seen by studenst and teachers in mathematics education and science. The digits of these numbers after the comma cannot be written using repeating or a finite number of digits (infinite non-repeating decimal representation). This is one of the two expressions used to express irrationality in the mathematical society. By this way, based on the number of e and π, a visual model was presented to make the students understand the irrational numbers. To make this visualization, the numbers of first 2500 integer part and decimal digits of and ? were placed on the size of 50 x 50 table in Microsoft Excel and these visualizations were presented on a fountain which was designed by the researcher. Then, all the numbers from 0 to 9 were assigned different colors and each cell of table was colored with the corresponding assigned colors instead of numbers. The colored Excel table made in this way was converted into image format. Then, it was intended to draw attention to these numbers via planning the illumination on the designed fountain and reflecting these colors in the sky or on the wall / floor in the evening.