Natural,  Natural numbers are the counting numbers

Numbers
{1, 2, 3, ...} (positive integers) or the whole numbers
{0, 1, 2, 3, ...} (non-negative integers). Mathematicians use the Natural,  Start with the counting numbers (zero may be included).  ⊂  ⊂  ⊂ R ⊂ 
term "natural" in both cases.
Real
Integer,  Integers are the natural numbers and their
0 1 2 3
π
negatives {... −3, −2, −1, 0, 1, 2, 3 ...}. (Z is from German Zahl, Integer,  Extend the line backward to include the negatives.
"number".) Real Algebraic e
√2
Rational,  Rational numbers are the ratios of integers, −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3
Rational
−2π
also called fractions, such as 1⁄2 = 0.5 or 1⁄3 = 0.3333... Rational −√3
Rational, 
1⁄
Insert all the fractions. Integer 2
decimal expansions end or repeat. (Q is from quotient.)
−23⁄4 −11⁄3 −1⁄2 1⁄
2 11⁄3 23⁄4 −1
1+√5 Transcen-
Real Algebraic, R The real subset of the algebraic Natural −2⁄3 2
dental
numbers: the real roots of polynomials. Real algebraic numbers −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3 −2
0 2
may be rational or irrational. √2 = 1.41421... is irrational. Real Algebraic, R Insert all the roots. 1 3
−3 Irrational
Irrational decimal expansions neither end nor repeat. 2.25
−√5 −√2 −1⁄2 1⁄
2 √2 √5 
Real,  Real numbers are all the numbers on the continuous −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3

number line with no gaps. Every decimal expansion is a real 
number. Real numbers may be rational or irrational, and algebraic Real,  Fill in all the numbers to make a continuous line. R
or non-algebraic (transcendental). π = 3.14159... and −π −e −√2 −1⁄2 1⁄2 √2 e π 
e = 2.71828... are transcendental. A transcendental number can
be defined by an infinite series. −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3

Real Number Sets Real Number Line Real Number Venn Diagram

Complex Number Sets Complex Number Plane Complex Number Venn Diagram
Imaginary Imaginary numbers are numbers whose
z = x + iy i = √−1
squares are negative. They are the square root of minus one, Complex
i = √−1, and all real number multiples of i such as 2i and i√2. Imaginary 

Imaginary number line

 πi ei 1 + πi 1.5 − 2πi e + πi
Algebraic,  The roots of polynomials, such as −2 + 3i
3i
ax3 + bx2 + cx + d = 0, with integer (or rational) coefficients. Algebraic

Imaginary part
Algebraic numbers may be real, imaginary, or complex. For  i√2  √2 + i√3 π + i√2
example, the roots of x2 − 2 = 0 are ±√2, the roots of x2 + 4 = 0  i⁄ 1.7 − 2.8i
2
are ±2i, and the roots of x2 − 4x + 7 = 0 are 2 ± i√3. 2i 1 + 2i  −2i −3 − 2i Transcen-
dental

Complex,  Complex numbers, such as 2 + 3i, have the π + 1.5i
i 1+i
form z = x + iy, where x and y are real numbers. x is called the Natural Integer Rational Real Algebraic Real
real part and y the imaginary part. The set of complex numbers −√2 + i i    R 
includes all the other sets of numbers. The real numbers are π
0 0 1 −1 1⁄
2
√2
complex numbers with an imaginary part of zero. √2 + i⁄2 e
Real number line 2 −2 −√3
3 −3 −2⁄3
Properties of the Number Sets −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3 Irrational

     0     
Closed under Addition1 The complex numbers Real part
are the algebraic
Closed under Multiplication1 −i
completion of the real −2 − i 3−i
Closed under Subtraction1
Closed under Division1
numbers. This may  ⊂  ⊂  ⊂ R ⊂  ⊂ 
explain why they
Dense2 appear so often in the
Complete (Continuous)3 laws of nature. −2i
Algebraically Closed4
1. Closed under addition (multiplication, subtraction, division) means the sum Infinity, ∞ The integers, rational numbers, and algebraic
(product, difference, quotient) of any two numbers in the set is also in the set. −1.5 − ei numbers are countably infinite, meaning there is a one-to-one
2. Dense: Between any two numbers there is another number in the set. −3i correspondence with the counting numbers. The real numbers and
3. Continuous with no gaps. Every sequence of numbers that keeps getting 1 − πi complex numbers are uncountably infinite, as Cantor proved.
closer together (Cauchy sequence) will converge to a limit in the set.
4. Roots of polynomials with integer (or rational) coefficients.

© 2007 Keith Enevoldsen thinkzone.wlonk.com