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What is the difference between a number and a digit?

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Arithmetic is a branch of mathematics in which numbers are studied and perform its various operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, etc. Arithmetic is a vast concept that consists of a major portion of Mathematics. In Arithmetic, numbers are studied and all the possible operations that can be performed on them like percentage, profit, and loss, interest, ratio, proportion, decimals, integers, etc. Therefore, to clear basic concepts of Arithmetic and build a proper framework in mind of all the formulas and relations, at first it is needed to understand what is a number, what is a digit, and how to distinguish them.

Numbers

Numbers can be defined as a single-digit, double-digit number, triple-digit number, and so on. A number is characterized on the basis of the number of digits that come in it. It can be written using one or more than one or many digits. For example, if one person is hosting the game Tambola and they are taking out a block written as 23, then they will say it’s a double-digit number 23. And if will take out a number 9 then, they will call this number a single-digit number 1. See this is the way to call a number. Numbers are unlimited, more the digits they contain more will be the value of the number. Because of numbers doing counting has become easy for us.

Every digit is a number but every number is not a digit.

Digits

Digits can be any from these 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0. All numbers are made from these digits. For example, the number 89 is made from two digits i.e. 8 and 9. Similarly, the number 6 is made from a digit 6. Digits are limited from 1 to 9 & 0. There is a definite number of digits. Word ‘number’ is used here to define the quantity. However one can see the word ‘number’ written in various sentences with different meanings. 

For instance,

  1. “They have given me a wrong number which is of just 8 digits.”
  2. “There are numerous occasions.”
  3. “It is a 7 digit number.”

No. of digits in a number defines the amount of number, like say, 1 ice cream means a single digit number then, it is obviously a very small amount but if 200 ice creams are involved, then here number of digits are three which clearly shows that it is a big amount of ice cream.

Difference between Number and Digit

  Number Digit
1. There are unlimited numbers. Digits are limited.
2. Numbers start from 0 and end at infinity. Digits start from 0 and end at 9.
3. Every number is not a digit however consist of digits but we can’t always call it as a whole as a digit. Every digit is a number which is a single-digit number.
4. The largest number can not be defined as there consists of infinite numbers. The largest one-digit one-digit number is 9.
5. The smallest number is 1 however 0 is the smallest whole number while 1 is the smallest one-digit natural number. The smallest one-digit number is 1 

Last Updated : 16 Nov, 2022
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