Whole numbers are a set of numbers that includes all the natural numbers (positive integers) including zero.
Mathematically, whole numbers are represented by the set:
{0,1,2,3,4,5,…}
The ellipsis (dots) indicates that the set continues indefinitely in the positive direction.
Whole numbers start from zero and extend infinitely in the positive direction.
In mathematical notation, you can represent the set of whole numbers as
W={0,1,2,3,4,5,…}.
Decimal numbers are a way of representing real numbers that may have a fractional part.
Decimal numbers are based on powers of 10 (base-10 or denary numbers).
The structure of decimal numbers includes a whole number part and a fractional part, separated by a decimal point.
For example:
Here are a few examples of decimal numbers:
3.14 (3 is whole number and .14 or 0.14 is fractional part)
2.5 - The decimal number representing 2 and a half.
0.75 - The decimal number representing 75 hundredths.
Decimal numbers allow for a more precise representation of real-world quantities,
especially when dealing with measurements, monetary values, or any quantity that can
be divided into parts.
In mathematical notation, decimal numbers are often written using a dot (.)
as the decimal separator, as shown in the examples above.
| Number 1 | Operator | Number 2 | Equals |
|---|