Representation of Numbers

For modulating signals, the compact (see note 1) representation of the signals assumes importance to simplify the design of circuits and in the context of design of systems that are robust. This article examines the nature of numbers and goes on to survey the methods of representing algebraic irrational numbers. It also briefly examines the methods of physically realizing the same, especially in the context of frequency modulation techniques, speech processing and other applications as also to issues of sampling in DSP.