Math Whole Numbers - Grade 3 To Grade 8
1. The numbers 1, 2, 3,... which we use for counting are known as natural numbers.
2. If you add 1 to a natural number, we get its successor. If you subtract 1 from a natural number, you get its predecessor.
3. Every natural number has a successor. Every natural number except 1 has a predecessor.
4. If we add the number zero to the collection of natural numbers, we get the collection of
whole numbers. Thus, the numbers 0, 1, 2, 3,... form the collection of whole numbers.
4. If we add the number zero to the collection of natural numbers, we get the collection of whole numbers. Thus, the numbers 0, 1, 2, 3,... form the collection of whole numbers.
5. Every whole number has a successor. Every whole number except zero has a predecessor.
6. All natural numbers are whole numbers, but all whole numbers are not natural
numbers.
7. We take a line, mark a point on it and label it 0. We then mark out points to the right
of 0, at equal intervals. Label them as 1, 2, 3,.... Thus, we have a number line with the
whole numbers represented on it. We can easily perform the number operations of
addition, subtraction and multiplication on the number line.
8. Addition corresponds to moving to the right on the number line, whereas subtraction corresponds to moving to the left. Multiplication corresponds to making jumps of equal distance starting from zero.
9. Adding two whole numbers always gives a whole number. Similarly, multiplying two
whole numbers always gives a whole number. We say that whole numbers are closed
under addition and also under multiplication. However, whole numbers are not closed
under subtraction and under division.
10. Division by zero is not defined.
