Chapter: Mapping Math: Numbers

Introduction

This is the first chapter in the "Just Math" section of the Mapping Math book. This chapter is all about the different types of numbers. Numbers are the building blocks of mathematics, so it is important to understand the different types of numbers. Numbers can be organized into types according to some of there common characteristics. Some mathematical operations can only be performed with certain types of numbers, but not with other types of numbers. For example: You can take the square root of a negative number (unless you want to deal with imaginary numbers, a special type of number invented for just this purpose).

There is another important reason to learn about the different types of numbers. Computer programming languages typically work with different numbers in different ways, even representing different types of numbers in special ways. If you want to work with math in computer programming you'll need to understand these differences in the your particular programming language. Understanding the different types of numbers will help with this.

We will discuss the following types of numbers in this chapter:

• whole numbers (integers)

• even and odd numbers

• fractions

• numbers with a fractional part (real numbers)

• positive and negative numbers

• rational and irrational numbers

• really weird numbers

Remember that numbers can belong to more than one category. For example: The number -12 is a whole number and a negative number.

Online References

Wikipedia Number Entry