Number Systems
Most of us think we know what numbers are. The fact is that there is no objective definition of what a number is. Numbers do not exist in nature. They are a creation of man. Numbers are a form of language. They were created to allow us to attach meaning to things we encounter in our lives. In most cases when we use the word number we are … Keep Reading → referring to the standard 1.2.3… that make up the most common type of number system. These are called natural numbers and they represent any whole number that is larger than zero. Some mathematicians include zero as part of the natural number system. The system of numbers was expanded with the invention of integers. Integers include all natural numbers but add the concept of negative numbers. Two further categories are included in the number system; rational and irrational numbers. The difference between the two is that rational numbers can be expressed as a fraction while irrational numbers cannot.
