What is a number?

Answer 1

# the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals; "he had a number of chores to do"; "the number of parameters is small"; "the figure was about a thousand"
# a concept of quantity derived from zero and units; "every number has a unique position in the sequence"
# act: a short theatrical performance that is part of a longer program; "he did his act three times every evening"; "she had a catchy little routine"; "it was one of the best numbers he ever did"
# a numeral or string of numerals that is used for identification; "she refused to give them her Social Security number"
# phone number: the number is used in calling a particular telephone; "he has an unlisted number"
# numeral: a symbol used to represent a number; "he learned to write the numerals before he went to school"
# total: add up in number or quantity; "The bills amounted to $2,000"; "The bill came to $2,000"
# give numbers to; "You should number the pages of the thesis"
# issue: one of a series published periodically; "she found an old issue of the magazine in her dentist's waiting room"
# enumerate; "We must number the names of the great mathematicians"
# a select company of people; "I hope to become one of their number before I die"
# the grammatical category for the forms of nouns and pronouns and verbs that are used depending on the number of entities involved (singular or dual or plural); "in English the subject and the verb must agree in number"
# count: put into a group; "The academy counts several Nobel Prize winners among its members"
# an item of merchandise offered for sale; "she preferred the black nylon number"; "this sweater is an all-wool number"
# count: determine the number or amount of; "Can you count the books on your shelf?"; "Count your change"
# place a limit on the number of
# a clothing measurement; "a number 13 shoe"

A number is an abstract entity used originally to describe quantity. At least since the invention of complex numbers, this definition must be relaxed. Preserving the main ideas of "quantity" except for the total order, one can define numbers as elements of any integral domain.

A symbol showing position in a series. A concept of quantity.

Answer 2

A number system is a kind of taxonomy. Taxonomy is the creation of categories. So, for example, the number 1 is the category of all things that are totally unified and indivisible. The number 2 is the category of things that consists of divisible things, but things that can be divided only one time. And so on. Based on this earliest of number systems, scientists and mathematicians have created thousands of other number systems, including imaginary numbers. The NAMES of the numbers (one, two, three, etc). are just things that help us to differentiate between the different numbers. Numbers don't necessarily have anything to do with quantity even though that is the most obvious and frequent use of numbers. For instance, you could say 2+2 is 4. But 4 of what? What does 2 oceans plus 2 goats add up to? 4 of what? 1 man plus one woman can add up to zero babies, one baby, or two babies, or twelve babies, and so on. Yes, you could say 2 pencils plus 2 pencils adds up to 4 pencils. But that is simply saying that 4 pencils are 4 pencils. It means nothing, unless you say that 4 pencils are not the same as 2 pencils or 3 pencils or whatever. In other words, we are back to the idea of taxonomy. The neatest number is zero. It creates a category of nothing which, if you start thinking about it, will blow your mind. A CATEGORY of nothing? If there is nothing, why would you need a category for it? On the other hand, how would you differentiate nothing from NOT-nothing? SOMETHING and NOT-nothing are not the same thing, because everything, in a way, is SOMETHING -- even nothing is something.

Answer 3

Definition from the following site:
"A number is an abstract entity that represents a count or measurement."
Arabic ten numerals accepted by the majority:
0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9

Answer 4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11...

Answer 5

What adding two numbers yields is mathematics. What the numbers are is philosophy.

Anyway, a number is a quantity. Or a quantity is a number...either one of those. It's a philosophical question to be honest.

Answer 6

a number is a thing that represents how much of this that we have. Or it means that you need it for math to help you get better with these certain types of numbers. Our numbers are actually Arabic. Therefore that is how we got the Abacus.

Answer 7

A number is a quantity. YOu use it to determine the age of things and the outcome of things. Its pretty much for everything.If you didnt have numbers you wouldnt have money and you couldnt count it.

Answer 8

A number is an abstract entity that represents a count or measurement.

Answer 9

Mathematics. Discussion on numbers rational,irrational,real,imaginary,algebraic,transcendental,surreal.

Answer 10

A number is something you use to count something. Like I have "1" dog. or i have "3" pets. is this supposed to be a trick question? or a stupid question?