Different categories of number exist. Knowing the terminology will clarify other elements of mathematics, hopefully.
First, a number is real or imaginary. Real numbers are the numbers most interacted with and exist naturally. The opposite is imaginary numbers which are pretty quirky and don't have a great definition. In my math class, we joke around and refer to imaginary numbers as fake numbers. We know we aren't funny...it's ok with us. Real numbers are further divided into rational and irrational. Rational numbers make sense and always act with prudence. On the other hand, irrational numbers are hot headed fools that act on impulse and come to crazy conclusions. Ok, now that is certifiably hilarious. In actuality, rational numbers are terminating or repeating decimals (they don't go on to infinity) and can be written as fractions. An irrational number's decimal form goes on and on and on and on and on and on FOREVER. Examples include non-perfect square roots, e, and pi. Rational numbers contain integers, whole, and natural numbers. Not every rational number falls into one of those three categories. Integers are both positive and negative whole numbers. Whole numbers are integers that are greater than or equal to zero (positive including zero). Natural or counting numbers are integers greater than zero. Yes, I am aware that there is a one number discrepancy between whole and natural numbers. Yes, I know that it doesn't make a whole lot of sense and seems pretty redundant. To recap (why doesn't anyone use recapture?) this lesson, numbers are split into real and imaginary. Reals are further broken into rational and irrational. Integers, whole and natural numbers are sheltered from the rain by the rational number umbrella. |
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