What Are Whole Numbers?

Whole numbers are a set of numbers that include all the non-negative integers. In other words, whole numbers are:

• 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and so on, continuing infinitely.

Key Characteristics of Whole Numbers:

• They do not include fractions or decimals.
• They do not include negative numbers.
• They start from zero and go upwards.

Examples of Whole Numbers:

• 0, 7, 15, 102, 1000

Contrast with Other Number Types:

• Natural numbers: Usually start from 1 (1, 2, 3, …), sometimes zero is included depending on the definition.
• Integers: Include negative numbers as well as zero and positive numbers (-3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, …).

Whole numbers are commonly used in counting and ordering where fractions or negative numbers are not applicable.