Math Playground
Numbers

Number types

Natural, whole, integer, rational, real, complex — and how they nest.

Numbers nest inside larger families — naturals ⊂ integers ⊂ rationals ⊂ reals ⊂ complex.

Quick check

What is the SMALLEST standard set that contains −5?

The families

  • ℕ Natural — 1, 2, 3, …
  • ℤ Integer — …, −1, 0, 1, …
  • ℚ Rational — fractions a/b.
  • ℝ Real — decimals, including irrationals.
  • ℂ Complex — a + bi.