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Examples of whole number in a Sentence
since percentages have been rounded off to whole numbers, the total will not be exactly equal to 100%
Recent Examples on the Web
Stockholders of record who would otherwise be entitled to receive a fractional share will be entitled to the rounding up of the fractional share to the nearest whole number.
—Charlotte Observer, 5 June 2024
Over the finite field with two elements, the coefficients and whole numbers of polynomials are both encoded as strings of zeros and ones.
—Kevin Hartnett, Quanta Magazine, 6 May 2024
In binary, therefore, the first three whole numbers are 00, 01 and 10.
—Kevin Hartnett, Quanta Magazine, 6 May 2024
The central concern of number theory is the integers, or positive and negative whole numbers, and functions that rely on them.
—Kevin Hartnett, Quanta Magazine, 6 May 2024
Going up one whole number on the scale indicates the ground motion recorded by seismic equipment increased by a factor of 10.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2024
The Saros, then, is just a nice round interval during which all these cycles repeat a whole number of times: 223 passes through the new moon is almost exactly equal to 242 laps in and out of the ecliptic, which is in turn almost exactly equal to 239 oscillations in the moon’s apparent size.
—Joshua Sokol, Quanta Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
Each pair of planets completes their orbits in times that are the ratios of whole numbers, allowing the planets to align and exert a gravitational push and pull on the other during their orbit.
—Chris Impey, Discover Magazine, 12 Feb. 2024
Mathematicians cannot determine whether multiplying pi by itself repeatedly might produce a whole number
By Manon Bischoff
Pi (π) is probably the most famous number in mathematics.
—Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 24 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'whole number.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of whole number was
in the 15th century
Dictionary Entries Near whole number
Cite this Entry
“Whole number.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whole%20number. Accessed 10 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
whole number
noun
: any of the set of nonnegative integers
also
: integer
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