Types-Of-Number Wjec-Eduqas Foundation

Types of number

You will come across vocabulary such as

• Integers and natural numbers

• Rational and irrational numbers

• Multiples

• Factors

• Prime numbers

• Squares, cubes and roots

• Reciprocals

Knowing what each of these terms mean is essential.

What are integers and natural numbers?

• Integers are whole numbers;

  • They can be positive, negative and zero

  • For example, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3 are all integers

• Natural numbers are the positive integers

  • They can be thought of as counting numbers

  • 1, 2, 3, 4, … are the natural numbers

    • Notice that 0 is not included

What are rational and irrational numbers?

• A rational number is a number that can be written as a fraction in its simplest form

  • A rational number can be written in the form

    • where and  are both integers, and  is not zero

  • All terminating decimals are rational numbers

    • e.g. 

  • All recurring decimals are rational numbers

    • e.g.  

    • Recurring digits are indicated by dots or bars
      e.g.  
      e.g. <img alt=”0.5 with dot on top 82 4 with dot on top equals 0.5824 with bar on top equals 0.5824 space 5824 space 5824 space…” data-mathml='<math ><semantics><mrow><mn>0</mn><mo>.</mo><mover><mn>5</mn><mo>&#729;</m