Natural Numbers: Natural numbers are the numbers we use for counting, like 1, 2, 3, etc. So, what are natural numbers in simple words? They are the first numbers we learn in schools.
Learning what are natural numbers helps kids understand how to count objects, such as toys, pencils, stars, or steps.
You may wonder, what are natural numbers in maths exactly? Well, whenever you count your chocolates or the number of friends you have, you're using natural numbers. These numbers are very important in learning basic math and help make math fun and exciting!
By understanding natural numbers, kids can solve simple math problems and learn more complex math later. Natural numbers make math fun and help us see patterns in the world around us!
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Let’s learn the natural number definition. Natural numbers are the numbers that begin from 1 and go on without an end. These numbers are called “counting numbers” too.
Natural numbers are the basic numbers we use for counting. Natural numbers are an infinite list of numbers that start with 1. Natural numbers are the positive whole numbers:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, ...
Important Things About Natural Numbers:
So, when someone asks, what are natural numbers, you can tell them: “They are numbers like 1, 2, 3, 4... and so on.”
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Natural numbers are the fundamental numbers we use for counting. They start from 1 and continue infinitely. Here are some examples of natural numbers:
This natural numbers list keeps going forever. So, if someone asks, “Can you tell me the natural numbers list?”, you can start from 1 and just keep counting! This is why we say natural numbers are infinite.
The natural numbers from 1 to 100 are the first 100 whole numbers used for counting. Here they are:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100
These are all natural numbers, starting from 1 and going up to 100.
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Natural numbers are the set of positive integers, starting from 1 and extending infinitely. They are denoted by the symbol N. The following are the fundamental properties that govern the arithmetic operations on natural numbers:
A set is closed under an operation if applying that operation to elements in the set always produces a result within the same set.
Note: Natural numbers are not closed under subtraction or division.
An operation is commutative if changing the order of the operands does not change the result.
This works for addition and multiplication, but not for subtraction or division.
An operation is associative if the grouping of operands does not change the result.
This property states that multiplication distributes over addition.
All of these properties help us understand what are natural numbers in maths and how they work in everyday math. They form the basis for more complex mathematical reasoning and problem-solving.
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0 is not considered a natural number in the traditional sense. Natural numbers are usually defined as positive whole numbers starting from 1, like 1, 2, 3, and so on. In this case, 0 is not included.
In modern mathematics, there are two common ways to define natural numbers:
But mostly, we say natural numbers start from 1. So, for your schoolwork, remember that what are natural numbers usually means 1, 2, 3, and so on.
Natural numbers and whole numbers are both sets of numbers used in counting and basic math operations, but they have a few key differences. Natural numbers start from 1 and go on infinitely, while whole numbers start from 0 and go on infinitely.
Natural Numbers vs. Whole Numbers | ||
Feature | Natural Numbers | Whole Numbers |
Definition | Numbers used for counting, starting from 1. | Numbers used for counting, starting from 0. |
Set of Numbers | {1,2,3,4,5,… } | {0,1,2,3,4,5,… } |
Starts From | Starts from 1. | Starts from 0. |
Includes Zero? | No, zero is not included. | Yes, zero is included. |
Negative Numbers | No negative numbers. | No negative numbers. |
Fractions/Decimals | No fractions or decimals. | No fractions or decimals. |
Use | Used for counting objects or ordering things. | Used for counting and simple math, including zero. |
Example | 1,2,3,4,5,… | 0,1,2,3,4,5,… |
In short, natural numbers start from 1 and are used for counting, while whole numbers include zero along with the natural numbers. Both sets of numbers are used in everyday situations, but whole numbers are often more practical when zero is involved, like in measurements or inventories.
You might be wondering, why do we even need to learn natural numbers? Well, here’s why:
To count our toys, friends, or days of the week
To solve basic math problems
To understand more about shapes, money, and time later
So the next time someone asks, what are natural numbers, you’ll know they are the building blocks of all maths we do.