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Where would mathematics and algebra be without numbers? A part of everyday life, numbers are the basic building blocks of algebra. Numbers give you a value to work with.
Where would civilization be today if not for numbers? Without numbers to figure the total cubits, Noah couldn't have built his ark. Without numbers to figure the distances, slants, heights, and directions, the pyramids would never have been built. Without numbers to figure out navigational points, the Vikings would never have left Scandinavia. Without numbers to examine distance in space, humankind could not have landed on the moon.
Even the simple tasks and the most common of circumstances require a knowledge of numbers. Suppose that you wanted to figure the amount of gasoline it takes to get from home to work and back each day. You need a number for the total miles between your home and business and another number for the total miles your car can run on one gallon of gasoline.
 | The different sets of numbers are important because what they look like and how they behave can set the scene for particular situations or help to solve particular problems. It's sometimes really convenient to declare, "I'm only going to look at whole-number answers," because whole numbers do not include fractions. This may happen if you're working through a problem that involves a number of cars. Who wants half a car? |
Algebra uses different sets of numbers, such as whole numbers and those that follow here, to solve different problems.
Really real numbers
Real numbers are just what the name implies. In contrast to imaginary numbers, they represent real values — no pretend or make-believe. Real numbers, the most inclusive set of numbers, comprise the full spectrum of numbers; they cover the gamut and can take on any form — fractions or whole numbers, decimal points or no decimal points. The full range of real numbers includes decimals that can go on forever and ever without end. The variations on the theme are endless.
Counting on natural numbers
A natural number is a number that comes naturally. What numbers did you first use? Remember someone asking, "How old are you?" You proudly held up four fingers and said, "Four!" The natural numbers are also counting numbers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and so on into infinity.
 | You use natural numbers to count items. Sometimes the task is to count how many people there are. A half-person won't be considered (and it's a rather grisly thought). You use natural numbers to make lists. |
Wholly whole numbers
Whole numbers aren't a whole lot different from the natural numbers. The whole numbers are just all the natural numbers plus a zero: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and so on into infinity.
Whole numbers act like natural numbers and are used when whole amounts (no fractions) are required. Zero can also indicate none. Algebraic problems often require you to round the answer to the nearest whole number. This makes perfect sense when the problem involves people, cars, animals, houses, or anything that shouldn't be cut into pieces.
Integrating integers
Integers enable you to broaden your horizons a bit. Integers incorporate all the qualities of whole numbers and their opposites, or additive inverses of the whole numbers (refer to the "Operating with opposites" section in this chapter for information on additive inverses). Integers can be described as being positive and negative whole numbers: . . . -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3 . . .
Integers are popular in algebra. When you solve a long, complicated problem and come up with an integer, you can be joyous because your answer is probably right. After all, it's not a fraction! This doesn't mean that answers in algebra can't be fractions or decimals. It's just that most textbooks and reference books try to stick with nice answers to increase the comfort level and avoid confusion.
Being reasonable: Rational numbers
Rational numbers act rationally! What does that mean? In this case, acting rationally means that the decimal equivalent of the rational number behaves. The decimal ends somewhere, or it has a repeating pattern to it. That's what constitutes "behaving." Some rational numbers have decimals that end in 2, 3.4, 5.77623, -4.5. Other rational numbers have decimals that repeat the same pattern, such as 3.164164164 . . . or .666666666 . . . .
| In all cases, rational numbers can be written as a fraction. They all have a fraction that they are equal to. So one definition of a rational number is any number that can be written as a fraction. |
Restraining irrational numbers
Irrational numbers are just what you may expect from their name — the opposite of rational numbers. An irrational number cannot be written as a fraction, and decimal values for irrationals never end and never have a nice pattern to them. Whew! Talk about irrational! For example, pi, with its never-ending decimal places, is irrational.
Evening out even and odd numbers
An even number is one that divides evenly by two. "Two, four, six, eight. Who do we appreciate?"
| An odd number is one that does not divide evenly by two. The even and odd numbers alternate when you list all the integers. |
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