natural numbers
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English
Noun
natural numbers pl (normally plural, singular natural number)
- (mathematics) The set of positive integers, {1, 2, 3, ...}.
- (mathematics, computer science) The set of non-negative integers, {0, 1, 2, 3, ...}.
Usage notes
In computer science, the natural numbers always include zero. In mathematics, some texts define them to include zero and some do not.
Synonyms
- counting numbers (positive integers)
- whole numbers (either sense)
- ℕ
Related terms
Translations
number theory
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References
- “natural number”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
- “natural number”, in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin, 2000, →ISBN.
- "natural number" in WordNet 2.0, Princeton University, 2003.