Number Terms
To answer the items correctly, you need to be familiar
with the terminology of numbers. These terms appear in a majority
of all SAT Math items, not just the ones dealing with numbers &
operations.
Number Terms and Definitions
| Term |
Definition |
Examples |
| Whole numbers |
The set of numbers we use to
count objects. |
0, 1, 2, 3 |
| Natural numbers |
The set of all whole numbers,
excluding zero. |
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 |
| Integers |
The set of all positive and negative
whole numbers, including zero. No fractions. |
–2, –1, 0, 1, 2, 3 |
| Rational Numbers |
The set of numbers that can
be expressed as integers in fractions, in the form m/n,
where m and n are integers. |
 ,  ,  |
| Irrational numbers |
The set of all numbers that cannot
be expressed as integers in a fraction. |
 ,
0.33333333,  |
| Real numbers |
Every number on the number line.
The set of real numbers includes all rational and irrational numbers. |
Anything! |
