We explain what natural numbers are and some of their characteristics. The greatest common divisor and the least common multiple.
What are natural numbers?
Natural numbers are the numbers that, throughout human history, were first used to count objects, not only for counting them but also for ordering them. These numbers start from the number 1. There is no total or final number of natural numbers; they are infinite.
The natural numbers are: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, etc. As we can see, these numbers do not admit fractions (decimals). It should be noted that the number zero is sometimes considered a natural number, but generally this is not the case. You must read about Properties of Matter once.
On the other hand, it is said that natural numbers always have a successor number. And natural numbers do not discriminate between even and odd numbers; they include all of them. They do not admit fractions or negative numbers. They are distinguished from integers, since integers also include negative numbers. Regarding the written expression of natural numbers, they are represented by the capital letter N.
Natural numbers are also the fundamental basis upon which all mathematical operations and functions are based: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. They also support trigonometric functions and equations. In short, they are the basic elements without which mathematics could not exist, as well as all sciences that use this type of calculation, such as geometry, engineering, chemistry, and physics; all require mathematics and natural numbers.
Greatest Common Factor
This is the largest natural number that can mathematically divide each of the given numbers. To find this number, it is necessary to first decompose the number into prime numbers, choose only common factors with the lowest exponent, and then calculate the product of the factors.
Least Common Multiple
This is the natural number that is the smallest multiple of each of the given numbers in a particular distribution. The steps to find it are to decompose the number into prime numbers, choose prime factors with the highest exponent, and then calculate the product of those factors. Maybe you should definitely read about Geometric Figures once.
There are two main fundamental uses: first, to describe the position of a given element within an ordered sequence, and to specify the size of a finite set, which in turn is generalized into the concept of cardinal number (set theory). Second, the other very important use is in the mathematical construction of integers.
The order of the natural numbers in a given operation does not alter the result; this is the so-called “commutative property” of natural numbers.
