Chapter 1

TYPES of NUMBERS
and the
NUMBER LINE
There are many different types of numbers with different
names. Here are the types of numbers used most often:

WHOLE NUMBERS: A number with no fractional or

decimal part. Cannot be negative.

EXAMPLES: 0, 1 , 2 , 3, 4 ...

NATURAL NUMBERS: Whole numbers from 1 and up.

Some teachers say these are all the “counting numbers.”

EXAMPLES: 1 , 2 , 3, 4, 5 ...

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INTEGERS: All whole numbers (including positive
and negative whole numbers).
EXAMPLES: ... -4, -3, -2 , -1 , 0, 1 , 2 , 3, 4 ...

RATIONAL NUMBERS: Any number that can be written by

dividing one integer by another-in plain English, any number
that can be written as a fraction or ratio. (An easy way to
remember this is to think of rational’s root word “ratio.”)

1 1
EXAMPLES: - , (which equals 0.5), 0.25 (which equals - ),
2 4
-7 412
-7 (which equals - ), 4.12 (which equals -- ),
1 100
1 -
- (which equals 0. 3) THE LINE OVER THE 3 MEANS
THAT IT REPEATS FOREVER!
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IRRATIONAL NUMBERS: A number that cannot be

written as a simple fraction (because the decimal goes
on forever without repeating). (“. . .” M E ANS THAT IT
CONTIN U E S ON FO R EV E R)

EXAMPLES: 3.14159265... , 2
Every number has a decimal expansion. For example, 2 can
be writ ten 2.000... However, you can spot an irrational
number because the decimal expansion goes on forever
without repeating.
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 REAL NUMBERS: All the numbers that can be
found on a number line. Real numbers can be large
or small, positive or negative, decimals, fractions, etc.

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EXAMPLES: 5, -17, 0.312 , - , π, 2 , etc.
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Here’s how all the types of numbers fit together:

REAL NUMBERS

RATIONAL
NUMBERS

INTEGERS
IRRATIONAL
WHOLE NUMBERS
NUMBERS

NATURAL
NUMBERS

EXAMPLE: -2 is an integer, a rational number,

and a real number!
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SOME OTHER EXAMPLES:

46 is natural, whole, an integer,

rational, and real.

0 is whole, an integer, rational, and real.

1
- is rational and real.
4

6.675 is rational and real. (TERMINATING DECIMALS

or decimals that end are rational.)

5 = 2.2360679775... is irrational and real.

(Nonrepeating decimals that go on forever
are irrational.)

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RATIONAL NUMBERS
AND THE NUMBER LINE
All rational numbers can be
placed on a NUMBER LINE.
A number line is a line that orders
and compares numbers. Smaller
numbers are on the left, and
larger numbers are on the right.

-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3

EXAMPLE: Because 2 is larger than 1 and also larger

than 0, it is placed to the right of those numbers.

-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3

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EXAMPLE: Similarly, because -3 is smaller than -2 and
also smaller than -1, it is placed to the left of those numbers.

-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3

EXAMPLE: Not only can we place integers on a number

line, we can put fractions, decimals, and all other rational
numbers on a number line, too:

3 1 1
-2.38 -- - 4 3-
8
4 2

-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3

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 G!
L G OIN
S T IL

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  For 1 through 8, classify each number in as many
categories as possible.

1. -3

-
2. 4.5

3. -4.89375872537653487287439843098…

4. -9.7 654321

5. 1

6. --
9
3

7. 2

8. 5.678

1
9. Is - to the left or the right of 0 on a number line?
45

10. Is -0.001 to the left or the right of 0 on a number line?

answers 9
1. Integer, rational, real

2. R ational, real

3. I
 rrational, real

4. R ational, real

5. N atural, whole, integer, rational, real

9 can be rewritten
 nteger, rational, real (because --
6. I
3
as -3)

7. Irrational, real

8. R
 ational, real

9. T
 o the right

10. To the left

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 Chapter 2
POSITIVE and NEGATIVE

NUMBERS
POSITIVE NUMBERS are used
to describe quantities greater than
zero, and NEGATIVE NUMBERS
are used to describe quantities
less than zero. Often, positive and
negative numbers are used together
to show quantities that have
opposite directions or values.

All positive numbers just look like

regular numbers (+4 and 4 mean the REMINDER:
All positive and negative
same thing). All negative numbers whole numbers (without
have a negative sign in front of fractions or decimals)
are integers.
them, like this: -4.

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As we know, all integers can be placed on a number line. If
you put all integers on a number line, zero would be at the
exact middle because zero is neither positive nor negative.

-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4

Positive and negative numbers have many uses in our world,

such as:

NEGATIVE POSITIVE

Debt Savings
(money that you owe) (money that you keep)

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 Debit from a Credit to your
bank account bank account

Negative electric Positive electric

charge charge

Below-zero Above-zero
temperatures temperatures

Below sea level Above sea level

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