CHAPTER

2

Integers

Basic Concepts

In Chapter 1 we used the set ofwhole numberswhich consists of the numbers

0,1,2,3,4,5,....Inalgebra we extend the set of whole numbers by adding

the negative numbers
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,.... The numbers.. .
5,
4,


3,
2,
1, 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,... are calledintegers. These numbers can be

represented on the number line, as shown in Fig. 2-1. The number zero is

called theorigin.

Math Note: Any number written without a sign (except 0) is con-

sidered to be positive; i.e., 6¼þ6. The number zero is neither positive

nor negative.

17

Fig. 2-1.

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