Encyclopedia > Arithmetic

  Article Content

Arithmetic

Arithmetic is a branch of mathematics which records elementary properties of certain arithmetical operations on numbers. The traditional operations are addition, division, multiplication, and subtraction; although, more advanced topics, such as exponentiation and square roots, are part of this field. Arithmetic is performed according to an order of operations.

The arithmetic of natural numbers, integers, rational numbers (in the form of fractions) and real numbers (in the form of decimal expansions[?]) is typically studied by schoolchildren of the elementary grades. Representations of numbers in terms of percentages are generally studied then as well. However, in adult life, most people rely on calculators to perform arithmetical computations.

The term "arithmetic" is also sometimes used to refer to number theory; it's in this context that one runs across the fundamental theorem of arithmetic and arithmetical functions.

See also:



All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License

 
  Search Encyclopedia

Search over one million articles, find something about almost anything!
 
 
  
  Featured Article
Islip Terrace, New York

... the town is $66,644, and the median income for a family is $69,389. Males have a median income of $51,036 versus $30,714 for females. The per capita income for the town is ...

 
 
 
This page was created in 43.4 ms