What is a Whole Number?
A whole number is a number that is a positive integer, including zero. This means it does not include any fractions or decimals.
Here are some key characteristics of whole numbers:
- They are positive: Whole numbers are greater than or equal to zero.
- They are integers: Whole numbers are part of the set of integers, which also includes negative numbers.
- They are used for counting: We use whole numbers to count objects or things.
Examples of whole numbers:
- 0
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 100
- 1000
Examples of numbers that are NOT whole numbers:
- -2 (negative number)
- 1/2 (fraction)
- 3.14 (decimal)
Importance of whole numbers:
Whole numbers are fundamental in mathematics and are used in many different areas of life, such as:
- Counting: We use whole numbers to count things, like the number of people in a room or the number of cars on the road.
- Measurement: We can use whole numbers to measure things, such as the length of a table or the weight of a person.
- Money: We use whole numbers to represent amounts of money, such as the price of an item or the amount of money in your bank account.
- Time: We use whole numbers to represent time, such as the number of hours in a day or the number of minutes in an hour.
Understanding whole numbers is crucial for understanding other mathematical concepts, such as fractions, decimals, and integers.
