Can Whole Numbers Be Negative?
No, whole numbers cannot be negative.
Explanation:
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Whole numbers are defined as the set of numbers starting from 0 and increasing by increments of 1:
0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ... -
They include zero and all positive integers , but do not include any negative numbers.
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Negative numbers belong to the set of integers , which includes:
..., -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, ...
Summary:
- Whole numbers = {0, 1, 2, 3, ...} (no negatives)
- Integers = {..., -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, ...} (includes negatives)
If you want to include negative numbers, you are referring to integers , not whole numbers.