numeros

Numbers are abstract objects used to count, measure, order, and label quantities. They exist in different families, including natural numbers, integers, rational numbers, real numbers, and complex numbers. A number is a concept, whereas a numeral is a symbol or glyph that represents that concept. The same idea can be represented in different numeral systems, such as decimal, binary, or Roman numerals, each with its own rules for construction and notation.

Historically, many cultures developed systems to record and compute with numbers. Early tally marks and counting aids evolved into more sophisticated schemes, culminating in the Hindu-Arabic decimal numeral system, which uses ten digits and zero as a placeholder. The place-value property and zero enabled efficient arithmetic and the growth of mathematics and science. Other systems, such as Roman numerals, lack a place-value structure and are less suited to computation.

Mathematics studies numbers and their properties. Core operations include addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The study of number theory investigates divisibility, primes, and relationships among integers; analysis concerns real numbers, limits, and continuity; algebra studies equations and structures that organize numbers. Common sets are N (natural numbers), Z (integers), Q (rationals), R (reals), and C (complex numbers), each with its own algebraic properties and topology in advanced contexts.

In modern applications, numbers are represented digitally in various numeral bases, with binary being fundamental in computing. Decimal approximations like floating-point numbers enable numeric computation with finite precision, while exact arithmetic can use integers or rationals. Numbers underpin measurements, science, finance, and engineering, and they remain central to both theoretical and applied disciplines.