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Mathematics is a dreadful yet interesting subject for many students. The key to its understanding lies in the deep knowledge of numbers. The more one knows about numbers, the easier it is to understand other things. Humans are surrounded by numbers everywhere and instead of staying a baby, getting into the practice of learning and knowing numbers is better. This article will give a brief idea about various types of numbers along with a brief description of whole numbers.
Numbers
Numbers are the backbone of mathematics. Every person who imagines what mathematics is, they will think of numbers. Numbers are so much a part of this subject that their absence will destroy the core and anything without it would be worthless. This can be understood by a very basic example. There are various formulas and definitions, but in order to apply all of them, numbers are needed. It won’t be wrong to say that mathematics revolves around these fascinating things.
Numbers are combinations of digits that are ten in total. All the numbers in this universe are combinations of these ten digits. The most fascinating things about these combinations are that they have different properties and are distinguished because of that. Some of the broad categories of numbers are discussed below.
Natural Numbers– Natural numbers are the most primitive form of numbers that are commonly used in counting other day to day activities. These numbers start from 1 and extend to infinity. The symbol of natural numbers is N and is often called counting numbers.
Integers– Integers are the numbers which include whole numbers as well as negative numbers. The term integers is a very broad category of numbers and includes negative infinity as well positive infinity. These are represented by Z.
Rational Numbers– All the numbers that have a possible expression in terms of the ratio of a natural number, any other number with certain properties then it is a rational number. It should be noted that all integers are rational numbers and it is denoted by Q.
Real Numbers– In order to understand the meaning and significance of a real number, it is important to know the number line. A number line is a method of representing numbers and all the numbers which can be represented on it as real numbers. It is denoted by R.
Imaginary Numbers– The number which cannot be represented on a number line is an imaginary number and is mathematically the product of the square root of -1 and a real number.
Complex Numbers– Complex numbers are the aggregate name for all the imaginary and real numbers as well as their differences. And is denoted by C.
Whole Numbers
The various kinds of numbers which can be broadly classified have been discussed in the previous head and this portion will have a brief concept of whole numbers. Whole numbers are very much similar to natural numbers, but it should be kept in mind that they are not the same.
Initially, when the digit 0 was invented in India, various mathematicians from all over the world provided its definitions as an inclusive portion of natural numbers and should be considered one. But as research of numbers got more depth, 0 to a different position. As of today, whole numbers are natural numbers that include 0. These start from zero and extend till infinity. There are certain thighs that should be kept in mind while looking at a whale number which is that it should not be either a decimal or a fraction and it is always positive.
Properties of Whole Numbers
All the properties of a whole number are inclusive in natural numbers as well. If there is something that is applicable in the case of natural numbers, then in most of the cafes, it will be applicable to a whole number as well. There are four major parts of mathematical calculation which is the most basic use of numbers. The various properties of whole numbers are discussed in the case of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
Commutative Property– This is a case where if the position of different whole numbers is interchanged, then the solution will remain the same. For example, 8 + 4= 12 and 4 + 8= 12. In this case, the result for both additions is the same. The same applies to multiplication. For example, 4*5= 20 and 5*4= 20. This does not apply to subtraction because the power will change and in the case of division as well.
Identity Element– In the case of the identity element, it is said that the identity element is the number that, when calculated with some other number, results in the same number. For example, 8+0= 8. Here, 0 is the identity element in case of addition and 1 is the identity element in case of multiplication. Again this does not apply to division.
Associative Property– This refers to the case of interchange in brackets and inclusivity of calculations. This is applicable when (a+b ) + c = a+ (b +c ).
Conclusion
Whole numbers share the same property as that of natural numbers and have the same way of calculating. The difference between all of the numbers and natural numbers is that the former includes 0. Whole numbers are also counting numbers and do not include fractions or decimals and extend till infinity.
