FTCE General Knowledge Math Practice Test

Which of the following describes numbers that include both positive and negative whole numbers, including zero?

1. Natural numbers

2. Whole numbers

3. Integers

4. Rational numbers

The correct answer is: Integers

The correct description for numbers that include both positive and negative whole numbers, along with zero, is indeed integers. Integers encompass the entire set of whole numbers as well as their negative counterparts. This means the set of integers can be represented as {..., -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, ...}. Natural numbers, which are the positive whole numbers starting from 1, do not include negative numbers or zero. Whole numbers consist of all natural numbers and the number zero, but still do not incorporate any negative values. Rational numbers, on the other hand, include all numbers that can be expressed as a fraction of two integers, which adds a broader set of numbers that can be positive or negative but does not specifically define the whole set of integers. Hence, integers is the most precise term for the given description.