What number is the smallest whole number?

Answer 1

The best answer I think is "zero." It's usually included as the smallest of the whole numbers.

There are different opinions about this. Here are some of them:

• 0 (called "zero" or "nil") means "nothing exists" so 0 cannot be a real number at all. So the smallest whole number is 1. (Also known as "one" or "unity.") Because it is the "magnitude" or "size" of the number which is being asked about in this kind of question - and not its "polarity" or "sign," the previous sentence remains true no matter whether we are considering positive or negative whole numbers.

• Apparently mathematicians can use different definitions here, so there is no single "correct" answer. Certainly "zero" CAN BE INCLUDED in the "whole numbers" by some mathematicians.

• Some mathematicians say you can have negative whole numbers, but mostly they say you can't.

Answer 2

There is no smallest whole number since one less than any whole number is a whole number and will be smaller. This process is endless.