Maths - Natural Numbers

ryanmc

Hi would any of ye know when 0 is included in the set of natural numbers? Just a bit confused because sometimes N starts at 0 and then sometimes it starts at 1, and I just need to clear this for induction and stuff.

Thanks Good luck to everyone today

J_E

It's normally whole numbers except for zero.

ride-the-spiral

When we were in first year it was a natural number, and now it's not, apparently.

BeanbagBallbag

They'll tell you in the question for induction if you're to include 0, ...for all n, n>0, n>3 etc, or they might say for any positive integer which negates 0 too.

Ciano313

The marking schemes state that 0 may or may not be included. You won't be marked down for it.

**Timbuk2**

For induction, unless if specifically states [latex]n\in\mathbb{N}, n\geq1[/latex] or something, then taking the base case as n=0 or n=1 are both valid. n=1 is the usual.

If it says [latex]n\geq2[/latex] then take the base case as n=2, etc. The clue is usually in the question!

magicianz

Cant write latex but if it says - n element of N and then there is a small zero after the capital n, then that means the set excludes the number 0 =]

Ficheall

magicianz wrote: »

Cant write latex but if it says - n element of N and then there is a small zero after the capital n, then that means the set excludes the number 0 =]

That's not always the case, unfortunately. Iirc, that's what it meant in LC, but in college the small zero meant that zero was included. :rolleyes:

Maybe_Memories

In college we were told in Real Analysis that 0 is not a natural number.

magicianz

Ficheall wrote: »

That's not always the case, unfortunately. Iirc, that's what it meant in LC, but in college the small zero meant that zero was included. :rolleyes:

Dont take this as an attack or offensive or anything cause its not intended that way, but its a question about LC maths so I dont think college maths should be brought into it. Just confuses people =]

Aoifums

My teacher said that up until last year 0 was a natural number and now it's not. They accepted it in 2010 but won't this year.

paulmclaughlin

It's in the log books!