I am asked to list the whole numbers in a list of:
-38, -8/5, 0, 0.3 (repeating), 4.5, square root of 30, 52
I get that 0 and 52 are whole numbers, but by definition, whole numbers are counting numbers and their opposites, so wouldn't -38 also be a whole number?
The answer in the book says only 0 and 52 are whole numbers and not -38.
When asked what the integers are, it says -38, 0, and 52 are integers. I agree with that, but think those are also whole numbers.
Please explain the difference.
-38 is an integer
whole numbers are not negative (0,1,2,...)
natural numbers do not even include 0 (1,2,3,...)
better review the topic
The classification of numbers can sometimes be confusing, but I'm here to help clarify the distinctions between whole numbers, integers, and other types of numbers.
Whole numbers are non-negative integers (counting numbers) and zero. By definition, whole numbers do not include negative numbers. Therefore, only 0 and 52 qualify as whole numbers in the provided list.
Integers, on the other hand, include both positive and negative whole numbers, including zero. So, -38, 0, and 52 are all integers. Integers are a superset of whole numbers, meaning every whole number is also an integer.
It's important to note that -8/5, 0.3 (recurring) and the square root of 30 in the given list are not whole numbers or integers. -8/5 is a fraction, 0.3 (recurring) is a decimal, and the square root of 30 is an irrational number. These numbers fall into different number classifications that are more specific than whole numbers and integers.
To summarize:
- Whole numbers consist of non-negative integers and zero (i.e., 0 and 52 in the given list).
- Integers include both positive and negative whole numbers, including zero (i.e., -38, 0, and 52 in the provided list).
If you have further questions or would like more clarification, please feel free to ask!
To understand the difference between whole numbers and integers, we need to look at their definitions.
Whole numbers are a set of numbers that include all positive numbers (counting numbers) and zero. Whole numbers do not include any negative numbers or fractions. So, according to this definition, the whole numbers in the given list are 0 and 52.
On the other hand, integers are a set of numbers that include all positive numbers (counting numbers), negative numbers, and zero. Integers include whole numbers as well as their negatives. Therefore, in the given list, the integers are -38, 0, and 52.
To summarize:
- Whole numbers include only positive numbers (counting numbers) and zero.
- Integers include all positive numbers (counting numbers), negative numbers, and zero.
In the specific case of the number -38, while it is an integer, it is not a whole number because whole numbers only include positive numbers (counting numbers) and zero.