The smallest positive integer is 1.
Positive integers, also known as counting numbers or natural numbers (excluding zero depending on the definition), start at 1 and increase indefinitely. Zero is not a positive integer, and neither are negative numbers. Therefore, 1 is the first and, consequently, the smallest.
Here's a simple breakdown:
- Integers: Whole numbers (no fractions or decimals). Examples: ..., -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, ...
- Positive Integers: Integers greater than zero. Examples: 1, 2, 3, ...
- Smallest Positive Integer: The smallest number in the set of positive integers.
Since the positive integers begin with 1, it is the smallest.
