What is a real number, a whole number, an integer, a rational number, and an irrational number?

Question

Nathan Axel · Accepted Answer

Explanation Below

Rational numbers come in 3 different forms; integers, fractions and terminating or recurring decimals such as #1/3#. Irrational numbers are quite 'messy'. They can't be written as fractions, they are never-ending, non-repeating decimals. An example of this is the value of #π#. A whole number can be called an integer and is either a positive or negative number, or zero. An example of this is #0#, #1# and #-365#.

Nathan Axel · Answer

undefined A real number is any number that can be found on the number line, including both rational and irrational numbers.

A whole number is any of the numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, ... and so on.

An integer is any positive or negative whole number, including zero.

A rational number is any number that can be expressed as the quotient or fraction of two integers, where the denominator is not zero.

An irrational number is a real number that cannot be expressed as a fraction of two integers, and its decimal representation goes on forever without repeating.