Abstract
Normally, we first learn about mathematics through counting, so the first set of numbers encountered is the set of counting numbers or natural numbers {1, 2, 3,...}. Later, our knowledge is extended to integers, rational numbers, real numbers and complex numbers. A formal definition of even the natural number system requires careful thought, and one was given only in 1889 by the Italian mathematician Giuseppe Peano. Our approach is informal. It is assumed that the reader is familiar with various number systems. The following definitions ensure a common language with which to present problems and their solutions.
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© 1996 Springer-Verlag New York, Inc.
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Lozansky, E., Rousseau, C. (1996). Numbers. In: Winning Solutions. Problem Books in Mathematics. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-4034-1_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-4034-1_1
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-0-387-94743-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-4034-1
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive