To arrange the sets of numbers you've mentioned from smallest to largest, it's important to understand their definitions and the hierarchy of these number sets:
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Natural Numbers: The set of positive integers starting from 1 (1, 2, 3, ...). Sometimes 0 is included in this set, but traditionally it starts from 1.
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Whole Numbers: The set of natural numbers including 0 (0, 1, 2, 3, ...).
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Integers: This set includes all whole numbers and their negative counterparts (..., -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, ...).
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Rational Numbers: These include all numbers that can be expressed as the quotient of two integers, where the denominator is not zero (e.g., 1/2, -3, 0, 5, 4/7, etc.). This set also includes all integers since any integer can be expressed as a fraction (like 3 = 3/1).
Now, placing these sets in order from the smallest set of numbers to the largest:
- Natural Numbers
- Whole Numbers
- Integers
- Rational Numbers
This ordering reflects the inclusivity of the sets, where each subsequent set encompasses the previous one.