Types of Numbers

There are, as I’m sure you know, a lot of numbers, infinitely many as it happens. Because of this
mathematicians need a way to classify numbers, a way to group then and tell them apart from
each other. We are going to take look at the different groups of numbers that exist.

Natural Numbers

Natural numbers – or the counting numbers – are probably the first type of numbers you will
have come across. The Natural numbers are whole numbers greater than zero. These numbers are
1, 2, 3, 4, …, numbers that you can physically count. The Natural Numbers do not include
negative values. For these we need another group.

Note: Some people include zero as a Natural Number, if unsure it is best to check with your
teachers whether they do or not.

Integers

Integers are whole numbers, both negative and positive, including zero. These numbers are …, -
3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, …. Positive integers are integers greater than zero, and negative integers, not
surprisingly, are integers less than zero.

Rational Numbers

Rational number are numbers that can be written as a fraction where both the numerator and
denominator are integers. This means that both the top and bottom of the fraction are whole
numbers. Examples of these would be and .

Irrational Numbers

Irrational Numbers are numbers that can’t be written as fractions, examples of these are ones
such as and . If we try to write these numbers as decimals they go on forever, with no
recurring digits.

Square Numbers

Square Numbers are integers that can be written as the square of some other integers, ie. a
product of an integer multiplied by itself. Examples of these are 4, (2×2) and 81, (9×9). Square
Numbers can also be written in the form . This notation means 5 squared, which is 25.

Surds
Surds are numbers left in the form , where n is a positive integer that is not a square number.
For more in-depth information about Surds be sure read our article Surds

Prime Numbers

Prime numbers are numbers greater than 1 that can only be divided by themselves and 1 to give
an integer answer. Example of these are 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, …. Note that 2 is the first and only
even prime number.

Note: Some courses class the number 1 as a prime number, if unsure it is again best to check
with your teacher.

Real Numbers

Real numbers are all the numbers that you have ever come across, all of the rational and
irrational numbers. All of these real numbers can be written in a finite or infinite decimal form,
such as … and .

Number Types
Numbers are classified according to type. The first type of number is the first type you ever learned about:
the counting, or "natural" numbers:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ...

The next type is the "whole" numbers, which are the natural numbers together with zero:

0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ...

Then come the "integers", which are zero, the natural numbers, and the negatives of the naturals:

..., –6, –5, –4, –3, –2, –1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ...

The next type is the "rational", or fractional, numbers, which are technically regarded as ratios (divisions)
of integers. In other words, a fraction is formed by
dividing one integer by another integer.
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Note that each new type of number contained the
previous type within it. The wholes are just the
naturals with zero thrown in. The integers are just
the wholes with the negatives thrown in. And the
fractions are just the integers with all their
divisions thrown in. (Remember that you can turn
any integer into a fraction by putting it over the
number 1. For example, the integer 4 is also the
fraction 4/1.) Since you learned these number
types in the same order as their hierarchy, it's
easy to remember their order.

Once you're learned about fractions, there is

another major classification of numbers: the ones
that can't be written as fractions. Remember that
fractions (also known as rational numbers) can be
written as terminating (ending) or repeating decimals (such as 0.5, 0.76, or 0.333333....). On the other
hand, all those numbers that can be written as non-repeating, non-terminating decimals are non-rational,
so they are called the "irrationals". Examples would be sqrt(2) ("the square root of two") or the number pi
("3.14159...", from geometry). The rationals and the irrationals are two totally separate number types;
there is no overlap.

Putting these two major classifications, the rationals and the irrationals, together in one set gives you the
"real" numbers. Unless you have dealt with complex numbers (the numbers with an "i" in them, such as 4
– 3i), then every number you have ever seen has been a "real" number. "But why", you ask, "are they
called 'real' numbers? Are there 'pretend' numbers?" Well, yes, actually there are, though they're actually
called "imaginary" numbers; they are what is used to make the complex numbers, and is what the " i"
stands for.

The commonest question I hear regarding number types is something along the lines of "Is a real number
irrational, or is an irrational number real, or neither... or both?" Unless you know about complexes,
everything you've ever done has used real numbers. Unless the number has an "i" in it, it's a real.

Here are some typical number-type questions (assuming that you haven't yet learned about imaginaries
and complexes): Copyright © Elizabeth Stapel 2000-2011 All Rights Reserved

 True or False: An integer is a rational number.

Since any integer can be formatted as a fraction by putting it over 1, then this is true.

 True or False: A rational is an integer.

Not necessarily; 4/1 is an integer, but 2/3 is not! So this is false.

 True or False: A number is either a rational or an irrational, but not both.

True! In decimal form, a number is either non-terminating and non-repeating (so it's an irrational)
or not (so it's a rational); there is no overlap between these two number types!
 Classify according to number type; some numbers may be of more than one type.

 0.45

This is a terminating decimal, so it can be written as a fraction: 45/100 = 9/20. Since this fraction
does not reduce to a whole number, then it's not an integer or a natural. And everything is a real,
so the answer is: rational, real

 3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419716939937510...

You probably recognize this as being pi, though this may be more decimal places than you
customarily use. The point, however, is that the decimal does not repeat, so pi is an irrational.
And everything (that you know about so far) is a real, so the answer is: irrational, real

 3.14159

Don't let this fool you! Yes, you often use something like this as an approximation of pi, but it isn't
pi! This is a rounded decimal approximation, and, since this approximation terminates, this is
actually a rational, unlike pi which is irrational! The answer is: rational, real

 10

Obviously, this is a counting number. That means it is also a whole number and an integer.
Depending on the text and teacher (there is some inconsistency), this may also be counted as a
rational, which technically-speaking it is. And of course it's also a real. The answer is: natural,
whole, integer, rational (possibly), real

 5/
3

This is a fraction, so it's a rational. It's also a real, so the answer is: rational, real

 1 2/3

This can also be written as 5/3, which is the same as the previous problem. The answer is:
rational, real

 –sqrt(81)

Your first impulse may be to say that this is irrational, because it's a square root, but notice that
this square root simplifies: –sqrt(81) = –9, which is just an integer. The answer is: integer,
rational, real

 – 9/
3

This is a fraction, but notice that it reduces to –3, so this may also count as an integer. The
answer is: integer (possibly), rational, real

Except for the section where you have to classify numbers according to type, you really won't need to be
terribly familiar with this hierarchy. It's more important to know what the terms mean when you hear them.
For instance, if your teacher talks about "integers", you should know that the term refers to the counting
numbers, their negatives, and zero.