Rational numbers

Negative integers appear, when the greater integer is subtracted from the smaller one, for instance:

10 – 15 = – 5 .

The sign “minus” before  5  shows, that this number is negative.

Series of negative integers continue endlessly:

–1,   –2,  –3,  – 4,  –5, …  

Fractional negative numbers  appear, for example, when the greater number is subtracted from the smaller one:

Also it is possible to say, that fractional negative numbers appear as a result division of a negative integer by a natural number:

Positive numbers in contrast to negative numbers (integers and fractional ones), are the numbers, considered in  arithmetic (also integers and fractional ones). 

Rational numbers – positive and negative numbers (integers and fractional ones) and zero. The more exact definition of rational numbers, adopted in mathematics, is the following:

A number is called rational, if it may be presented as a vulgar, not a cancelled fraction of the shape:  m / n , where  m  and  n  are integers.

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