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Natural numbers, also known as counting numbers, are the base numbers for counting things and objects. A natural number contains no fraction, decimal part, or negative sign. A set of natural numbers is represented by the letter N and contains the numbers from 1 to infinity.
N={1,2,3,4,5, ... }
The dots indicate that the numbers continue to increase by one unit at a time indefinitely. This means that this set contains infinitely many numbers. Here are some things to consider when thinking about natural and whole numbers.
| Natural Numbers | Whole Numbers |
|---|---|
| N={1,2,3,4,5, ... } | W={0,1,2,3... } |
| The smallest natural number is 1. | The smallest whole number is 0. |
| All natural numbers are whole numbers | Not all whole numbers are natural numbers. |
| Example: Marky's favorite toys are three car figurines, two puzzles, and a guitar. | Example: The school principal has one notebook and ten pencils, yet he has zero erasers. |