Question

Natural numbers are also known as _____.
A. whole numbers
B. counting numbers
C. integers
D. rational numbers

Answer 1

Hint: Natural numbers are a set of infinite numbers. Natural numbers start from 1 and go till infinity. They do not have a decimal point when written but they can have commas for larger numbers to separate thousandth, hundred thousandth etc places.

Complete step-by-step answer:
We are given to find what numbers are also known as natural numbers.
Whole numbers start from 0 and go till infinity. So the set of natural numbers will be a subset of the set of whole numbers as the natural numbers’ set does not have 0 in it.
Integers are numbers which can be written without fractional components. Integers can be either negative or positive, for example 2, -4, -5, 7. But we already know that natural numbers are only positive and therefore the set of natural numbers is a subset of the set of integers.
Rational numbers are also known as fractions. A rational number can be represented in the form of p/q where q should not be zero but it can be one. So this means every integer is a rational number and every natural number is a rational number but not vice-versa. So the set of natural numbers is also a subset of the set of rational numbers.
So the last option left is counting numbers. Yes, natural numbers are also known as counting numbers. Because we always start the count with 1 or any other natural number. We never start the counting with 0 and negative integers.
Therefore, the correct option is Option B, counting numbers.
So, the correct answer is “Option B”.

Note: Set of natural numbers is represented by ‘N’, whole numbers by ‘W’, rational numbers by ‘Q’, Integers by ‘Z’ and real numbers by ‘R’. All the numbers including rational and irrational numbers are said to be real numbers. We can say natural numbers are also known as positive integers as 0 is neither positive nor negative.