Why are negative numbers not considered whole number, yet are considered integers? And what is the difference between a whole number and an integer? I have only just started to learn the topic, but it helps me to understand why things are how they are. I can not learn when people teach things by answering similar questions with because thats the way it is. Everything has to have reason behind it, or else its just an opinion, and can never be proven as fact. Thank you

A integer is any number that is not either a decimal or a fraction (however, both 2.000 and 2/2 are integers because they can be simplified into non-decimal and non-fractional numbers), this includes negative numbers. A whole number is any positive number(0 through infinity) (including non-integers)

Since 0 is whole number would it be an integer?

That's right! All whole numbers are integers, so since 0 is a whole number, 0 is _also_ an integer.

so an integer is a negative whole number

No,integers include all numbers except decimals and fractions

why aren't decimals whole numbers?

Decimals aren't whole numbers because decimals are part of wholes.

What is a fraction if it is not an integer or a whole number? And what is a decimal?

Fractions and decimals are rational numbers, just like integers and whole numbers. Hope this helps!

Is it possible to divide and multiply integers that are negative?

Yes, we can multiply and divide any integers, except for division by zero. The result will be a rational number.

why aren't negative fractions integers

Because no type of fraction is an integer.

Ok, so 0 is an integer because it's a whole number, but 0 doesn't have an opposite...

The opposite of 0 is -0, which equals to 0. Just like that the reciprocal of 1 is 1/1 !

it said that integers are just like whole numbers, but also include negatives. If so, then why is "all integers are whole numbers" wrong?

You can think of it like this: Whole numbers start from zero and include every single positive number that doesn't involve fractions or decimals. Integers add onto this set of numbers, as they include negatives but otherwise share the same rules. Therefore, all whole numbers will be an integer (as whole numbers are all the positive integers), but not all integers (since some are negative) will be whole numbers.

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6th grade

Course: 6th grade > Unit 6

Lesson 2: Whole numbers & integers

Whole numbers & integers

Whole numbers & integers

Google Classroom

Walk through the difference between whole numbers & integers. For example, is the number -8 a whole number? Is it an integer?

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Jessica Foster
Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to Jessica Foster's post “why aren't decimals whole...”
why aren't decimals whole numbers?
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- Kate Kim
  Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to Kate Kim's post “Decimals aren't whole num...”
  Decimals aren't whole numbers because decimals are part of wholes.
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Megan
Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to Megan's post “Why are negative numbers ...”
Why are negative numbers not considered whole number, yet are considered integers? And what is the difference between a whole number and an integer? I have only just started to learn the topic, but it helps me to understand why things are how they are. I can not learn when people teach things by answering similar questions with because thats the way it is. Everything has to have reason behind it, or else its just an opinion, and can never be proven as fact. Thank you
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Megan's post “Why are negative numbers ...”
(27 votes)
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- 𝕽𝖞𝖑𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝕭𝖎𝖈𝖐𝖑𝖊𝖞
  Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to 𝕽𝖞𝖑𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝕭𝖎𝖈𝖐𝖑𝖊𝖞's post “A integer is any number t...”
  A integer is any number that is not either a decimal or a fraction (however, both 2.000 and 2/2 are integers because they can be simplified into non-decimal and non-fractional numbers), this includes negative numbers. A whole number is any positive number(0 through infinity) (including non-integers)
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StormflyAstridLightFury
Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to StormflyAstridLightFury's post “Since 0 is whole number w...”
Since 0 is whole number would it be an integer?
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- Polina Vitić
  Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to Polina Vitić's post “That's right! All whole n...”
  That's right! All whole numbers are integers, so since 0 is a whole number, 0 is also an integer.
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Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee's post “so an integer is a negati...”
so an integer is a negative whole number
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- Kevin
  Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to Kevin's post “No,integers include all n...”
  No,integers include all numbers except decimals and fractions
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Zahra
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What is a fraction if it is not an integer or a whole number? And what is a decimal?
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- emmaly
  Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to emmaly's post “Fractions and decimals ar...”
  Fractions and decimals are rational numbers, just like integers and whole numbers.
  
  Hope this helps!
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Vihaan
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Is it possible to divide and multiply integers that are negative?
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- Ian Pulizzotto
  Posted 2 years ago. Direct link to Ian Pulizzotto's post “Yes, we can multiply and ...”
  Yes, we can multiply and divide any integers, except for division by zero. The result will be a rational number.
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Austin Symchak
Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to Austin Symchak's post “why aren't negative fract...”
why aren't negative fractions integers
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- Zahra
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  Because no type of fraction is an integer.
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Anthony Garcia
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Why are negative numbers integers?
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mariama.njie21
Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to mariama.njie21's post “Ok, so 0 is an integer be...”
Ok, so 0 is an integer because it's a whole number, but 0 doesn't have an opposite...
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- Osama Al-Bahrani
  Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to Osama Al-Bahrani's post “The opposite of 0 is -0, ...”
  The opposite of 0 is -0, which equals to 0. Just like that the reciprocal of 1 is 1/1 !
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Isabel Goodey
Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to Isabel Goodey's post “it said that integers are...”
it said that integers are just like whole numbers, but also include negatives. If so, then why is "all integers are whole numbers" wrong?
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- yeet yeet ily sal
  Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to yeet yeet ily sal's post “You can think of it like ...”
  You can think of it like this: Whole numbers start from zero and include every single positive number that doesn't involve fractions or decimals. Integers add onto this set of numbers, as they include negatives but otherwise share the same rules. Therefore, all whole numbers will be an integer (as whole numbers are all the positive integers), but not all integers (since some are negative) will be whole numbers.
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6th grade

Course: 6th grade > Unit 6

Whole numbers & integers

Whole numbers

Integers

Classifying numbers

Challenge problem

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