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Dyadic rational


In mathematics, a dyadic fraction or dyadic rational is a rational number whose denominator is a power of two, i.e., a number of the form where a is an integer and b is a natural number; for example, 1/2 or 3/8, but not 1/3. These are precisely the numbers whose binary expansion is finite.

The inch is customarily subdivided in dyadic rather than decimal fractions; similarly, the customary divisions of the gallon into half-gallons, quarts, and pints are dyadic. The ancient Egyptians also used dyadic fractions in measurement, with denominators up to 64.

The sum, product, or difference of any two dyadic fractions is itself another dyadic fraction:

However, the result of dividing one dyadic fraction by another is not necessarily a dyadic fraction.

Addition modulo 1 forms a group; this is the Prüfer 2-group.

Because they are closed under addition, subtraction, and multiplication, but not division, the dyadic fractions form a subring of the rational numbers Q and an overring of the integers Z. Algebraically, this subring is the localization of the integers Z with respect to the set of powers of two.


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