Is zero the smallest integer????
no. It is greater than all the negative integers.
Integer is the set of all numbers without the need to use decimals or fractions, examples, 2,100,0,-4.
Counting numbers are positive integers, examples: 1,2,10,10000, etc.
Counting numbers are called natural numbers by mathematicians.
Depending on the location/country, sometimes natural numbers and counting numbers include "zero".
When mathematicians want to be sure NOT to include zero, they say "non-negative integers" instead of natural numbers.
So by now you can figure out if zero is the smallest integer???
No, zero is not the smallest integer. The smallest integer is actually negative infinity.
To understand this, let's explore the concept of integers and their ordering. Integers are whole numbers that can be positive, negative, or zero. They are arranged on a number line, with positive numbers increasing to the right and negative numbers increasing to the left.
When we compare two integers, we can determine which is greater or smaller by their position on the number line. In this case, zero is positioned in the middle of the number line, neither to the left nor to the right.
If we move to the left of zero on the number line, we encounter negative numbers such as -1, -2, -3, and so on. These negative numbers are always smaller than zero. Moreover, there is no integer that precedes negative infinity. So, by this understanding, negative infinity is considered the smallest integer.
In summary, zero is not the smallest integer. Negative infinity, which is even smaller than any negative number, holds the position of the smallest integer.