The basic knowledge that must be mastered before learning Algebra is to know the set of numbers, because Algebra used numbers and symbols. Among the sets of numbers are Natural Numbers and Whole Numbers. What is the difference between the two? How do we tell the difference? This is what this article will discuss.
Natural Number
In simple terms, natural numbers are the numbers used to calculate i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, … and so on. Natural numbers are also commonly referred to as counting numbers.
Definition of Natural Number
The Natural number is start with 1 and continue.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, …
The natural number in the number line is visualized as the following image:
Whole Number
If the counting number is added by 0, then this set number is called a Whole Number.
Definition of Whole Number
The Whole number are the counting numbers and zero
0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, …
The counting numbers and the whole number can visualize in the number line like this:
The Difference Between Natural Number and Whole Number
So, the difference between natural number and whole number is, natural number starts from 1 onwards, while whole number starts from 0 and so on.
This means that natural numbers are also included in whole numbers. Meanwhile, natural numbers do not include one number from the whole number, which is 0.
Example
Which of the following is a natural number and a whole number?
1, 5, 0, 3/4, 0.8, 2
Solution:
Natural number: 1, 5, 2
Whole number: 0, 1, 2, 5
While 3/4 and 0.8 are not included in the natural number or whole number, it will be discussed later.
Practice Questions
Which of the following is a natural number and a whole number?
3, 6, 0, 1, 2/4, 7, 0.1, 0.67
Key Answer:
Natural number: 1, 3, 6, 7
Whole number: 0, 1, 3, 6, 7
While 2/4, 0.1, and 0.67 are not included in natural numbers or whole numbers.
Hope this article answers your questions!