NATURAL NUMBERS
So far we know that Mathematics is all about numbers and the numbers are indispensable for Mathematics. In the first stage of learning, we can that, mathematics starts with the counting of objects. This is supposed to be done by using numbers such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 ……………….,and continue.
Above counting numbers are called natural numbers and it is denoted as ‘N’. The collection of all counting numbers will be considered as the set of all natural numbers.
Thus, N = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15………………,and so on. The dots ‘.’ In the end indicates the process of counting is endless and as such, there is no end to natural numbers. We can say that, the smallest natural number is 1 (one) and there is no largest natural numbers.