Which of the following includes whole numbers, negative whole numbers, and zero?

Which of the following includes whole numbers, negative whole numbers, and zero?

• A. Rational Numbers
• B. Integers
• C. Real Numbers
• D. Natural Numbers

Answer: (B)

The correct answer is B, which refers to integers. Integers encompass all whole numbers as well as their negative counterparts and zero. This means that any number like -3, 0, or 5 qualifies as an integer. In contrast, rational numbers (the first choice) include integers but extend further to include fractions and decimals that can be expressed as ratios of whole numbers, such as 1/2 or 0.75. Real numbers (the third option) comprise all rational numbers along with irrational numbers, which cannot be expressed as fractions, such as the square root of 2 or π. Lastly, natural numbers (the last option) are strictly positive whole numbers starting from 1 (e.g., 1, 2, 3) and do not include zero or any negative numbers. Thus, the definition of integers aligns exactly with the inclusion of whole numbers, negative whole numbers, and zero, confirming why this choice is accurate.

The correct answer is B, which refers to integers. Integers encompass all whole numbers as well as their negative counterparts and zero. This means that any number like -3, 0, or 5 qualifies as an integer.

In contrast, rational numbers (the first choice) include integers but extend further to include fractions and decimals that can be expressed as ratios of whole numbers, such as 1/2 or 0.75. Real numbers (the third option) comprise all rational numbers along with irrational numbers, which cannot be expressed as fractions, such as the square root of 2 or π. Lastly, natural numbers (the last option) are strictly positive whole numbers starting from 1 (e.g., 1, 2, 3) and do not include zero or any negative numbers.

Thus, the definition of integers aligns exactly with the inclusion of whole numbers, negative whole numbers, and zero, confirming why this choice is accurate.