Natural numbers are the set of positive integers used primarily for counting and ordering. They typically start at 1 and continue infinitely as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and so on
. Sometimes, the set of natural numbers is defined to include zero, making them the non-negative integers 0, 1, 2, 3, etc., but the more common definition excludes zero
. Key points about natural numbers:
- They are also called counting numbers or positive integers
- They are used for counting objects (cardinal numbers), ordering (ordinal numbers), and labeling (nominal numbers)
- Natural numbers are closed under addition and multiplication, meaning adding or multiplying two natural numbers results in another natural number
- They are not closed under subtraction or division, as these operations may produce numbers outside the natural numbers set
- There is no largest natural number; they extend infinitely
In summary, natural numbers are the basic numbers starting from 1 (or sometimes 0) used for counting and ordering discrete objects in everyday life and mathematics
