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What are the counting numbers starting from 1 called?

  1. Whole numbers

  2. Natural numbers

  3. Integers

  4. Real numbers

The correct answer is: Natural numbers

The counting numbers starting from 1 are referred to as natural numbers. Natural numbers include 1, 2, 3, and so forth, representing the fundamental set of numbers used for counting and ordering. This classification excludes zero and any negative numbers, which is why it is specifically defined as starting from 1. Whole numbers encompass all natural numbers along with zero; therefore, while natural numbers are a subset within whole numbers, they do not include zero. Integers expand on natural numbers by including negative whole numbers, thus completing a broader range that goes in both the positive and negative directions, including zero. Real numbers consist of all possible values along the number line, including rational and irrational numbers, which is also outside the scope of just counting numbers.