FTCE General Knowledge Math Practice Test

What type of numbers consists of all positive whole numbers including zero?

1. Rational numbers

2. Integers

3. Whole numbers

4. Irrational numbers

The correct answer is: Whole numbers

The correct choice is indeed the one that refers to whole numbers. Whole numbers are defined as all the positive integers along with zero. This means they include numbers like 0, 1, 2, 3, and so forth, but do not encompass any negative numbers or fractions. In contrast, while rational numbers include whole numbers, they also encompass negative integers and decimals, which isn't part of the definition for whole numbers. Integers expand further to cover all positive and negative whole numbers but, again, do not specifically exclude fractions or decimals. Irrational numbers refer to numbers that cannot be expressed as a fraction of two integers, such as π or √2, and therefore do not fit into the realm of whole numbers. Thus, whole numbers are distinct for being the set of numbers that starts at zero and counts upwards without any fractional or negative components.