Cardinal, ordinal and nominal numbers are key concepts not only in mathematics, but also in everyday language use. Knowing the difference between them allows us to use them correctly depending on the context. Here we explain in detail the characteristics of each one, with examples that will help you understand them instantly.
Cardinal numbers
The Cardinal numbers Cardinal numbers are those that we use to express quantities. These numbers indicate “how many” elements there are in a set, which can be made up of people, animals, objects or anything else. The main function of cardinal numbers is to count, that is, to provide an exact quantity. Unlike other types of numbers, they do not denote order or position, but only the number of elements present in a group.
Example: If we say that we have three booksWe are using a cardinal number, since we are indicating how many books there are, without specifying anything else about their relationship or position. Some characteristics of cardinal numbers are:
- They are used to express exact quantities.
- They include both natural numbers and zero, which indicates a lack of quantity.
- They have no decimals or fractions. They are whole numbers.
There are different types of cardinal numbers according to certain criteria, for example, the numbers peers e oddEven numbers are those that can be divided by two without leaving a decimal, such as 2, 4, 6, while odd numbers cannot, such as 1, 3, 5. Another type of cardinal number refers to very large numbers, such as thousands o millones which are not usually used to count individual items, but rather quantities that describe very large groups, as in the phrase “thousands of people.” This further highlights their importance in everyday life.
Additional examples of cardinal numbers: 1 car, 6 cats, 10 chairs.
Ordinal numbers
The ordinal numbers They don’t express quantities, but rather indicate the position or place an element occupies within a sequence or order. We use them to describe how far ahead or behind something is in a list, queue, or succession. To recognize an ordinal number, we can always ask “in what place?” or “in what position?” For example, if we say that someone has been placed in First In a race, we’re using an ordinal number because we’re describing that runner’s position relative to the others. Ordinal numbers aren’t just used for people or positions in competitions. They’re also very useful in everyday language for describing things like floors in buildings, department stores, or levels in a video game.
Examples of ordinal numbers:
- “First” in a race.
- “Second” in a waiting line.
- “Third” floor of a building.
As for notation, ordinal numbers can be expressed in words or as numerals followed by a lowercase letter (1st, 2nd), and they vary according to the gender and number of the noun they accompany. For example, we say “first book” in the masculine and “first page” in the feminine. The list of the first ordinal numbers is as follows:
- First
- Second
- Third
- Fourth
- Quinto
As we move forward in the use of ordinal numbers, these can also be grouped into tens, hundreds and thousands. For example, when we get to the number 20, we talk about the twentieth, and so on. As numbers increase, the way they are represented also evolves in a similar way to cardinal numbers, but keeping the focus on relative position.
Nominal numbers
Unlike cardinal and ordinal numbers, nominal numbers They indicate neither quantity nor order. These numbers serve a different function: they are used to identify or label specific objects, people, or things within a set. A nominal number has no mathematical meaning in terms of quantity or location. For example, the phone number’s most emblematic landmarks, the identity card number or Postal Code These are all nominal numbers, as they only serve to differentiate and uniquely identify something. Other common examples of nominal numbers include a car’s license plate number or an athlete’s jersey number, such as the number 35 in the image showing Kevin Durant.
Examples of nominal numbers:
- Phone number: 123456789
- Code: 28001
- Player number: 7
It makes no sense to perform mathematical operations with nominal numbers. They cannot be added, subtracted, ordered, or compared in terms of quantity or position. Their sole purpose is to identify entities in systems where it is necessary to differentiate between elements. They are numbers that lack mathematical properties such as addition or multiplication, but they are fundamental for organizing information in many aspects of our daily lives. In conclusion, while cardinal, ordinal, and nominal numbers share the characteristic of being numbers, they fulfill very different and unique roles. The first indicate how many elements there are, the second tell us where an element is located, and the third simply identify something in a concrete way.