← Back to: Math Glossary
A Real Number are all the numbers you know — they live on the number line and include almost everything:
Examples of rational numbers:
• Whole numbers (0, 1, 2, 3…)
• Negative numbers (–1, –10…)
• Fractions (like 2/3)
• Decimals (like 0.75 or –4.6)
• Irrational numbers like π and √2
If you can find it on a number line, it’s a real number!
Real numbers help us describe everything from length, temperature, and money, to scientific measurements and time. They are used in every math subject and every real-world situation — that’s why they’re called “real” numbers!
The only numbers not included are imaginary numbers, which are used in more advanced math. But for now, everything from –1000 to π to ½ is part of the real number family. Understanding real numbers helps you make sense of math as a big picture — how all types of numbers fit together.
• Real: 3, –5, 1.5, π, √2
• Not real: Things like √–1 or dividing by 0 — those are called imaginary numbers, and they come much later in math.
“Number Line Hop”
1️⃣ Draw a giant number line with sidewalk chalk or on paper.
2️⃣ Call out numbers — the player hops to where it belongs!
3️⃣ Include negatives, decimals, and fractions for extra challenge.
Real numbers are the foundation of almost all the math you’ll ever do. They’re everywhere — from temperatures to time to the cost of your favorite toy!
Ready to become a math master? Take the Multiplication Quiz now! 🎯