Hobbies And Interests
Number Line Rules
The whole numbers on a number line extend to the right of 0 and consist of only positive numbers. Whole numbers begin 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. and get larger as the numbers travel to the right. The same numbers reflect on the other side of the 0, traveling to the left, as negative numbers. These numbers begin -1, -2, -3, -4, etc., with the numbers increasing the further left the line goes. It's important to note that in negative numbers, the smaller the number, the higher its value. That means -2 is actually larger than -8.
Integer Definition
Integers include the whole numbers, 0 and the negative numbers on the number line. The total set of integers could be written {...-4, -3, -2, -1, 0 , 1, 2, 3, 4...}. The set of integers can also be represented by a Z symbol that originates from a German word meaning counting number. When referring to an integer, saying positive integer or negative integer is more technically correct than just saying the general term integer.
Importance of 0
The 0 on the number line provides the middle point from which the positive and negative numbers split off. But 0 is also important when it comes to odd and even numbers, a concept that only exists in integers. On the number line, an odd number is followed by an even which is followed by an odd. For example 3, 4 and 5 are odd, even and odd. But how about -1, 0 and 1? -1 and 1 are both odd. Which means that 0 is even and its inclusion is important to keep the pattern intact.
Importance of Integers
The negative integers on the number line help establish the mathematical opposite of addition, which is subtraction. Adding a negative number is the same as subtracting that number. For example, 4 + -2 is equivalent to 4 - 2, and they both equal 2.