5th Class Mathematics Number System and its Operations Number System

     Number System

Number system is a pattern or set of numbers in which one number is related to other number by one or more algebraic operations. There are various number system. In this chapter we will study about the following three types of number systems:

(a) Natural number

(b) Whole number

(c) Integers

  Natural Number

Counting starts with 1 and continue till infinite. Counting numbers are called natural numbers.

For example: 1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7................ etc.

Note: Natural number starts from 1 and goes to infinity. Therefore, smallest natural number is 1 but largest natural number cannot be found.

Whole Number

When 0 is included with natural numbers, it is called whole numbers zero are called whole numbers. 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ......etc. In other words "Natural numbers together with zero are called whole numbers."

Note: Whole numbers starts with 0 and goes to infinity. Therefore smallest natural numbers is 0 but largest whole numbers cannot be found.

Integers

To make the natural numbers more informative and efficient so that more complicated problems can be solved, a new number system was invented in which natural numbers are written with symbols "-(minus)". This type of number is known as negative numbers. Integers are the collection of whole numbers and negative numbers. ............ -5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, +1, +2, +3, +4, +5, +6, + 7 ................ etc.

Note: Integers goes to infinity in either direction. Therefore, neither smallest integer or greatest integer can be found.