Number Sets - Math Skills Overview Guide

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    • What does it mean?
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Number Sets

What does it mean?

Definitions:

Natural Numbers - Common counting numbers.

Prime Number - A natural number greater than 1 which has only 1 and itself as factors.

Composite Number - A natural number greater than 1 which has more factors than 1 and itself.

Whole Numbers - The set of Natural Numbers with the number 0 adjoined.

Integers - Whole Numbers with their opposites (negative numbers) adjoined.

Rational Numbers - All numbers which can be written as fractions.

Irrational Numbers - All numbers which cannot be written as fractions.

Real Numbers - The set of Rational Numbers with the set of Irrational Numbers adjoined.

Complex Number - A number which can be written in the form a + bi where a and b are real numbers and i is the square root of -1.

What does it look like?

A general example to help you recognize patterns and spot the information you're looking for

A list of types of numbers and examples.

Type of Number	Example
Natural Numbers	$$N = 1, 2, 3, 4, ... $$
Prime Number	$$P = 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, … $$
Composite Number	$$4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, ...$$
Whole Numbers	$$W = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, …$$
Integers	$$Z= …, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, …$$
Rational Numbers	$$Q = -\frac{1}{2}, 0.33333…, \frac{5}{2}, \frac{11}{10}, … $$
Irrational Numbers	$$F = ..., \pi, \sqrt{2}, 0.121221222...$$
Real Numbers	$$R = ..., -3, -1, 0, \frac{1}{5}, 1.1, \sqrt{2}, 2, 3, \pi , …$$
Complex Number	$$C = ..., -3 + 2i, 0, 1 + 3i, …$$

• The Set of All Numbers

You'll use it...

Everyday. Numbers are included in all aspects of math.

  Video: Number Sets

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• Last Updated: Nov 24, 2025 3:57 PM
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