Natural Numbers

What Is a Natural Number?

A natural number is a whole number from 1 upwards:

Mathematicians use the symbol to represent the set of natural numbers.

Dictionary Definition

The Oxford English Dictionary defines a natural number as "a positive whole number (1, 2, 3, etc.)"

Natural Numbers As Counting Numbers

A natural number is a counting number.

Natural numbers are the numbers you would use to count objects.

Natural Numbers on the Number Line

The image below shows the natural numbers on the number line.

Note: The natural numbers are whole numbers only. They are not found in between the numbers shown.

See Also
