Integer
'ɪntɪdʒər
Definitions
A whole number; a number that is not a fraction or a decimal.
'ɪntɪdʒər
A whole number
The solution to the equation is an integer.
💡 Simply: Imagine you have cookies, and you can only have whole ones, not half cookies or quarter cookies. That's like an integer! They are whole numbers like 1, 2, 3, or even -1, -2, -3.
👶 For kids: A whole number, like 1, 2, 3, or even -1, -2, -3. Not a fraction or a part of a number.
More Examples
The range of integers includes both positive and negative numbers.
When programming, it's important to use an integer data type for whole number values.
How It's Used
"In mathematics, an integer can be positive, negative, or zero."
"Integer data types are fundamental in programming for storing whole numbers."
From Latin integer, meaning 'whole, entire'. It entered English in the 16th century and was used to describe whole numbers in mathematics.
Historically, the term was primarily used in a mathematical context, with its application steadily increasing with the development of computer science and related fields.
Memory tip
Think of "in-tact" numbers – whole and unbroken, like perfect sets of objects. Integers don't have any fractional parts.