1.1 Introduction to Whole Numbers

The topics covered in this section are:

1. Identify counting numbers and whole numbers
2. Model whole numbers
3. Identify the place value of a digit
4. Use place value to name whole numbers
5. Use place value to write whole numbers
6. Round whole numbers

1.1.1 Identify Counting Numbers and Whole Numbers

Learning algebra is similar to learning a language. You start with a basic vocabulary and then add to it as you go along. You need to practice often until the vocabulary becomes easy to you. The more you use the vocabulary, the more familiar it becomes.

Algebra uses numbers and symbols to represent words and ideas. Let’s look at the numbers first. The most basic numbers used in algebra are those we use to count objects: $1,2,3,4,5,…$ and so on. These are called the counting numbers. The notation “…” is called an ellipsis, which is another way to show “and so on”, or that the pattern continues endlessly. Counting numbers are also called natural numbers.

Counting Numbers

The counting numbers start with $1$ and continue.
$1, 2, 3, 4, 5 … $$1, 2, 3, 4, 5…$

Counting numbers and whole numbers can be visualized on a number line as shown in Figure 1.2:

The point labeled origin. The points are equally spaced to the right of $0$ and labeled with the counting numbers. When a number is paired with a point, it is called the coordinate of the point.

The discovery of the number zero was a big step in the history of mathematics. Including zero with the counting numbers gives a new set of numbers called the whole numbers.

Whole Numbers

The whole numbers are the counting numbers and zero.
$0, 1 ,2 ,3 ,4 ,5…$

We stopped at $5$ when listing the first few counting numbers and whole numbers. We could have written more numbers if they were needed to make the patterns clear.

Example 1

Which of the following are a. counting numbers? b. whole numbers?

$0, \frac{1}{4}, 3, 5.2, 15, 105$

1.1.2 Model Whole Numbers

Our number system is called a place value system because the value of a digit depends on its position, or place, in a number. The number $537$ has a different value than the number $735$. Even though they use the same digits, their value is different because of the different placement of the $7$ and the $5$.

Money gives us a familiar model of place value. Suppose a wallet contains three $\$100$ bills, seven $\$10$ bills, and four $\$1$ bills. The amounts are summarized in Figure 1.3. How much money is in the wallet?

Find the total value of each kind of bill, and then add to find the total. The wallet contains $\$374$

Base-10 blocks provide another way to model place value, as shown in Figure 1.4.  The blocks can be used to represent hundreds, tens, and ones. Notice that the tens rod is made up of $10$ ones, and the hundreds square is made of $10$ tens, or $100$ ones.

Figure 1.5 shows the number $138$ modeled with base-$10$ blocks.

Digit	Place Value	Number	Value	Total Value
$1$	hundreds	$1$	$100$	$100$
$3$	tens	$3$	$10$	$30$
$8$	ones	$8$	$1$	$8$
				Sum $=138$

Example 2

Use place value notation to find the value of the number modeled by the base-$10$ blocks shown.

1.1.3 Identify the Place Value of a Digit

By looking at money and base-$10$ blocks, we saw that each place in a number has a different value. A place value chart is a useful way to summarize this information. The place values are separated into groups of three, called periods. The periods are ones, thousands, millions, billions, trillions, and so on. In a written number, commas separate the periods.

Just as with the base-$10$ blocks, where the value of the tens rod is ten times the value of the ones block and the value of the hundreds square is ten times the tens rod, the value of each place in the place-value chart is ten times the value of the place to the right of it.

Figure 1.6 shows how the number $5,278,194$ is written in a place value chart.

• The digit $5$ is in the millions place. Its value is $5,000,000$.
• The digit $2$ is in the hundred thousands place. Its value is $200,000$.
• The digit $7$ is in the ten thousands place. Its value is $70,000$.
• The digit $8$ is in the thousands place. Its value is $8,000$.
• The digit $1$ is in the hundreds place. Its value is $100$.
• The digit $9$ is in the tens place. Its value is $90$.
• The digit $4$ is in the ones place. Its value is $4$.

Example 3

In the number $63,407,218$ find the place value of each of the following digits:

• $7$
• $0$
• $1$
• $6$
• $3$

1.1.4 Use Place Value to Name Whole Numbers

When you write a check, you write out the number in words as well as in digits. To write a number in words, write the number in each period followed by the name of the period without the ‘s’ at the end. Start with the digit at the left, which has the largest place value. The commas separate the periods, so wherever there is a comma in the number, write a comma between the words. The ones period, which has the smallest place value, is not named.

So the number $37,519,248$ is written thirty-seven million, five hundred nineteen thousand, two hundred forty-eight.

Notice that the word and is not used when naming a whole number.

How To: Name a Whole Number in Words.

1. Starting at the digit on the left, name the number in each period, followed by the period name. Do not include the period name for the ones.
2. Use commas in the number to separate the periods.

Example 4

Name the number $ 8,165,432,098,710$ in words.

Example 5

A student conducted research and found that the number of mobile phone users in the United States during one month in $2014$ was $327,577,529$. Name that number in words.

1.1.5 Use Place Value to Write Whole Numbers

We will now reverse the process and write a number given in words as digits.

How to: Use Place Value to Write a Whole Number

1. Identify the words that indicate periods. (Remember the ones period is never named.)
2. Draw three blanks to indicate the number of places needed in each period. Separate the periods by commas.
3. Name the number in each period and place the digits in the correct place value position.

Example 6

Write the following numbers using digits.

• fifty-three million, four hundred one thousand, seven hundred forty-two
• nine billion, two hundred forty-six million, seventy-three thousand, one hundred eighty-nine

Example 7

A state budget was about $\$77$ billion. Write the budget in standard form.

1.1.7 Round Whole Numbers

In $2013$, the U.S. Census Bureau reported the population of the state of New York as $19,651,127$ people. It might be enough to say that the population is approximately $20$ million. The word approximately means that $20$ million is not the exact population, but is close to the exact value.

The process of approximating a number is called rounding. Numbers are rounded to a specific place value depending on how much accuracy is needed. $20$ million was achieved by rounding to the millions place. Had we rounded to the one hundred thousands place, we would have $19,700,000$ as a result. Had we rounded to the ten thousands place, we would have $19,650,000$ as a result, and so on. The place value to which we round to depends on how we need to use the number.

Using the number line can help you visualize and understand the rounding process. Look at the number line in Figure 1.7. Suppose we want to round the number $76$ to the nearest ten. Is $76$ closer to $70$ or $80$ on the number line?

Now consider the number $72$. Find $72$ in Figure 1.8.

How do we round $75$ to the nearest ten? Find $75$ in Figure 1.9.

So that everyone rounds the same way in cases like this, mathematicians have agreed to round to the higher number, $80$. So $75$ rounded to the nearest ten is $80$.

Now that we have looked at this process on the number line, we can introduce a more general procedure. To round a number to a specific place, look at the number to the right of that place. If the number is less than $5$, round down. If it is greater than or equal to $5$, round up.

So, for example, to round $76$ to the nearest ten, we look at the digit in the ones place.

The digit in the ones place is a $6$. Because $6$ is greater than or equal to $5$, we increase the digit in the tens place by one. So the $7$ in the tens place becomes an $8$. Now, replace any digits to the right of the $8$ with zeros. So, $76$ rounds to $80$.

Let’s look again at rounding $72$ to the nearest ten. Again, we look to the ones place.

The digit in the ones place is $2$. Because $2$ is less than $5$, we keep the digit in the tens place the same and replace the digits to the right of it with zero. So $72$ rounded to the nearest ten is $70$.

HOW TO: Round a whole number to a specific place value.

1. Locate the given place value. All digits to the left of that place value do not change unless the digit immediately to the left is $9$, in which case it may. (See Step 3.)
2. Underline the digit to the right of the given place value.
3. Determine if this digit is greater than or equal to $5$.
   • Yes—add $1$ to the digit in the given place value. If that digit is $9$, replace it with $0$ and add $1$ to the digit immediately to its left. If that digit is also a $9$, repeat.
   • No—do not change the digit in the given place value.
4. Replace all digits to the right of the given place value with zeros.

Example 8

Round $843$ to the nearest ten.

Example 9

Round each number to the nearest hundred:

• $23,658$
• $3,978$

Example 10

Round each number to the nearest thousand:

• $147,032$
• $29,504$