Rational numbers can be expressed as fractions of integers, and include all terminating and repeating decimals. Irrational numbers cannot be expressed as fractions and include numbers like √2 and √3. To prove that √3 is irrational, we assume it can be written as a/b where a and b are integers. Squaring both sides leads to a contradiction, since the left side is odd and right side is even. This proves that √3 cannot be written as a fraction of integers, so it is irrational.