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Comment on Zero to hero
Allero@lemmy.today 10 months ago
Why do we even use natural numbers as a subset?
There are whole numbers already
zaphod@sopuli.xyz 10 months ago
Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world 10 months ago
They’re not natural
NoFood4u@sopuli.xyz 10 months ago
I’m not too good at math but i think it’s because the set of integers is defined as the set that contains all natural numbers and their opposites, while the set of natural numbers is defined using the successor function (0 (or 1) is a natural number. if a number n natural, then S(n) is natural where S(n) = n+1).
Allero@lemmy.today 10 months ago
Thanks!
But if we talk whole numbers, we just change the rule that if n is whole, then S(n) is whole where S(n)=n±1.
Essentially just adding possibility for minus again.