Types of Number

Structure
If we count backwards from 5, we don’t have to stop at zero.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0,-1,-2,-3,-4,-5, etc.

 The counting numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 etc.) are called natural numbers (N).
 Zero is not a natural number.
 The natural numbers together with zero makes up the whole number
(W), e.g. W= (0, 1, 2, 3, 4…).
 Integers (Z) are all the natural numbers, zero and the negative whole
numbers e.g. Z= (…., -7, -6, -5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, ……).
 Rational Numbers (Q) are all the numbers that can be written as
fraction. They include the integers, terminating and recurring decimals,
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e.g. Q= (2, -5, 0.7, , 0.47, 0.07777 ….).
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 Irrational numbers cannot be written exactly as a fraction or a decimal,
as they never recur e.g. (𝜋 , √2, … ).
 Real number (R), consist of the rational numbers and irrational numbers
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e.g. R= (3, -8, π, , 0.0333, √2, …..).
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Exercise
a) List all the whole numbers;
(a) Between 27 and 35
(b) Greater than or equal to 0 but less than 10
(c) Greater than 36 and no more than 42

b) State all the natural numbers;

(a) Less than 15
(b) From 26 to 32 inclusive
(c) Greater than 53 but less than 64

c) Write down the value of:

(a) 36.34 + 2.71 +0.041
(b) 4.317 – 0.0015
(c) Divide 8.24 by 1000
 d) Calculate:
4 7
(a) +
11 22

5 2
(b) −
12 5

To obtain the square root of a number we use the calculator.

E.g.
* √41 = 6.4031

* √119 = 10.908
5. Express the following irrational numbers as decimals, correct to four
decimal places:

(a) √58 (b) √481 (C) √0.35 (d) π

6. Calculate the integers
(a) -6 – 3 + 2=
(b) -3 – 7 – 10=
(c) -7 + 9 + 18=