Common Number Sets

There are sets of numbers that are used so often that they have special names and symbols:

Symbol Description
Natural Numbers

The whole numbers from 1 upwards. (Or from 0 upwards in some fields of mathematics). Read
More ->

The set is {1,2,3,...} or {0,1,2,3,...}

Integers

The whole numbers, {1,2,3,...} negative whole numbers {..., -3,-2,-1} and zero {0}. So the set is
{..., -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, ...}

(Z is for the German "Zahlen", meaning numbers, because I is used for the set of imaginary
numbers). Read More ->
Rational Numbers

The numbers you can make by dividing one integer by another (but not dividing by zero). In
other words fractions. Read More ->

Q is for "quotient" (because R is used for the set of real numbers).

Examples: 3/2 (=1.5), 8/4 (=2), 136/100 (=1.36), -1/1000 (=-0.001), etc.
  Irrational Numbers

Any number that is not a Rational Number. Read More ->

Algebraic Numbers

Any number that is a solution to a polynomial equations with rational coefficients.

Includes all Rational Numbers, and some Irrational Numbers. Read More ->
  Transcendental Numbers

Any number that is not an Algebraic Number

Examples of transcendental numbers include π and e. Read More ->

Real Numbers

All Rational and Irrational numbers. They can also be positive, negative or zero.

Includes the Algebraic Numbers and Transcendental Numbers.

A simple way to think about the Real Numbers is: any point anywhere on the number line (not
 just the whole numbers).

Examples: 1.5, -12.3, 99, √2, π

They are called "Real" numbers because they are not Imaginary Numbers. Read More ->
Imaginary Numbers

Numbers that when squared give a negative result.

If you square a real number you always get a positive, or zero, result. For example 2×2=4, and (-
2)×(-2)=4 also, so "imaginary" numbers can seem impossible, but they are still useful!

Examples: √(-9) (=3i), 6i, -5.2i

The "unit" imaginary numbers is √(-1) (the square root of minus one), and its symbol is i, or
sometimes j.

i2 = -1

Read More ->

Complex Numbers

A combination of a real and an imaginary number in the form a + bi, where a and b are real, and
i is imaginary.

The values a and b can be zero, so the set of real numbers and the set of imaginary numbers are
subsets of the set of complex numbers.

Examples: 1 + i, 2 - 6i, -5.2i, 4

Read More ->

Illustration
Natural numbers are a subset of Integers

Integers are a subset of Rational Numbers

Rational Numbers are a subset of the Real Numbers

Combinations of Real and Imaginary numbers make up

the Complex Numbers.
 Whole Numbers and Integers
Whole Numbers
Whole Numbers are simply the numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, … (and so on)

No Fractions!

Counting Numbers
Counting Numbers are Whole Numbers, but without the zero. Because you can't "count" zero. So they are 1, 2,
3, 4, 5, … (and so on).

Natural Numbers
"Natural Numbers" can mean either "Counting Numbers" {1, 2, 3, ...}, or "Whole Numbers" {0, 1, 2, 3, ...},
depending on the subject.

Integers
Integers are like whole numbers, but they also include negative numbers ... but still no fractions allowed!

So, integers can be negative {-1, -2,-3, -4, -5, … }, positive {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, … }, or zero {0}

We can put that all together like this:

Integers = { ..., -5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ... }

Confusing
Just to be confusing, some people say that whole numbers can also be negative, so that would make them
exactly the same as integers. And sometimes people say that zero is NOT a whole number. So there you go, not
everyone agrees on a simple thing!
My Standard
I must admit that sometimes I say "negative whole number", but usually I stick to:

Numbers Name

{ 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, … } Whole Numbers

{ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, … } Counting Numbers

{ ... -5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, … } Integers

But nobody disagrees on the definition of an integer, so when in doubt say "integer", and if you only want
positive integers, say "positive integers". It is not only accurate, it makes you sound intelligent. Like this (note:
zero is neither positive nor negative):

 Integers = { ..., -5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ... }

 Negative Integers = { ..., -5, -4, -3, -2, -1 }
 Positive Integers = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ... }
 Non-Negative Integers = { 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ... } (includes zero, see?)
Example

A and B are two sets such that A has 12 elements, B has 17 elements and A  B contains 21 elements. Find the
number of elements in A  B.

Solution :

n (A) = 12, n (B) = 17 and n (A  B) = 21

Using the fact,

n ( A  B) = n (A) + n (B) - n ( A  B),

21 = 12 + 17 - n ( A  B )

 n ( A  B ) = 29 - 21 = 8

Example

In a class of 50 students, 35 students play foot ball, 25 students play both football as well as base ball. All the
students play at least one of the two games. How many students play base ball ?

Solution :

Let F be the set of the students who play foot ball, and C be the set of students who play base ball.

Then we have n (C  F) = 50

n (f) = 35 and n (C  F) = 25

Now the problem can be visualized by means of a Venn

diagram as in the adjoining figure.

Thus we have n ( C  F ) = n (F) + n (C) - n (C  F )

 The number of students who play only baseball

     = n (C) - n ( C F )

     = n (C  F) - n (F)

     = 50 - 35

     = 15
Example

In the athletic team of a certain school, 21 students are in the Basketball team, 26 are in the Hockey team and 29
are in the football team. If 14 play Hockey and Basketball, 12 play football and Basketball, 15 play Hockey and
football and 8 play all the three, find : (1)How many players are there in all ?
(2) How many play only foot - ball ?

Solution :

1) n (B H  F ) = n (B) + n (H) + n (F) - n ( B  H )

    - n ( H  F) - n ( B  F) + n ( B  H  F )

     n (B  H  F ) = 21 + 26 +29 - 14 -25 - 12 + 8

    = 84 - 41

    = 43

2) Foot - ball and basket - ball but not Hockey

    = 12 - 8

    = 4

    Foot - ball and Hockey but not Basket - ball

    = 29 - ( 4 + 7 + 8 )

    = 29 - 19

    = 10