10th

Algebra Level 3

What is the sum of the first 10 whole numbers?

54 44 55 45

1 solution

Joshua Omar Pestaño
Dec 6, 2014

If your answer is 55, you're wrong. Because 0 is also a whole number so the first 10 whole number are 0 - 9. So 1 +2 = 3 + 3 = 6 and so on and so forth.

Or you could use the formula $\dfrac{n(n+1)}{2}$ where $n=9$

Marc Vince Casimiro - 6 years, 6 months ago

-2 is also a whole number . The convention is that 0 is not a natural number, except in France.

Sophie Crane - 6 years, 5 months ago

Correct! Do not have the first whole number, becuse -1234576489764945 is a whole number smaller than -2 and -3.26958*10^10^10^10 is a whole number too and more smaller than the others. In others words, if want to get the first whole number (by convenience let's use the number line from the smaller to the higher number). If we put the whole numbers in a number line the smaller approaches to the negative infinity. Then not have the "first whole number" because the set of whole numbers is infinity in both sides has no beginning and no end. Only the set of natural number have a beginning but not have end. The smaller natural number is 0 because you can count 0 things in a set.

Victor Paes Plinio - 6 years, 5 months ago

10th

1 solution

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