Numbers: meaning, definitions and examples

General term for mathematical values used in counting, calculations, or identifying quantities. It can be used in everyday situations, scientific discussions, or official documents.

• We need to check the company's financial numbers
• She is good at calculating large numbers

Individual characters (0-9) in a number. Often used in contexts involving specific positions within a number, such as passwords, codes, or detailed data processing.

• Her phone number has ten digits
• Please enter the four-digit PIN code

Can refer to numbers in general, especially when talking about statistics or significant amounts of money. Often used in business, finance, and reporting contexts.

• The company's figures for this quarter look promising
• He earns a six-figure salary

Symbols or characters used to represent numbers, often in the context of different numeral systems (e.g., Roman numerals). Used in educational, historical, or technical discussions.

• Roman numerals are often seen on clock faces
• The numeral system used by ancient civilizations was quite complex

This is often used for representing individual values or figures, such as in mathematical contexts, phone numbers, or counting discrete items.

• She memorized all the numbers for the math test.
• Can you give me your phone number?
• The numbers of participants have increased this year.

This is used when referring to a non-countable substance or an abstract concept, typically with uncountable nouns like water, money, or work.

• She poured a small amount of milk into the cup.
• The total amount of money we raised is impressive.
• He has a great amount of work to finish.

This is used for referencing countable items or when measuring something in terms of how much of it there is. It's often used in more formal or technical contexts.

• They ordered a large quantity of office supplies.
• Please check the quantity of apples in the crate.
• The quantity of rainfall has decreased this year.

This is used to refer to the final sum or whole amount that results from adding individual components together.

• We need to calculate the total cost of the project.
• The total number of applicants was 50.
• After summing up, the total score was 95.

Also used in a casual context when speaking about amounts of things, especially people.

• The event attracted large numbers of people.
• In recent years, the numbers of endangered species have increased.

Used to indicate how old a person or thing is.

• What is the age of your daughter?
• This wine improves with age.

Used to specify periods of time, typically in terms of experiences or durations.

• He worked there for ten years.
• She spent years perfecting her art.