What is an example of an irregular number?

An irregular number typically refers to numbers that do not conform to standard counting or whole-number expectations. In this context, a square root that is not a complete number falls into this category because it cannot be expressed as a whole number and often results in an ongoing, non-repeating decimal. For example, the square root of 2 is approximately 1.41421356..., and it neither terminates nor repeats, making it an example of an irrational number.

In contrast, terminating decimals finish at a certain point and can be expressed neatly as fractions, while repeating fractions can be expressed as decimals that have a repetitive sequence. Whole numbers are characterized by their complete, non-fractional nature. Therefore, the square root that is not a complete number stands out as an irregular number due to its infinite, non-repeating decimal characteristic.