What is an integer?

An integer is a positive or negative whole number. For example, 38, 4, 0, -12, -399 are all integers. Fractions, decimals and percents are not integers because they are not whole numbers.

Numbers are divided and classified by types. Like integers, natural and whole numbers are also types of numbers. Natural numbers, sometimes called counting numbers, are used for counting and ordering objects. They are the first numbers children learn in school. They begin with one and span as far as a person can count. Whole numbers include all natural numbers in addition to zero and, like the natural category, are always positive.