1. Let's start by defining whole numbers. Whole numbers are the set of numbers that include all the natural numbers (0, 1, 2, 3, ...) and zero. They do not include fractions, decimals, or negative numbers. 2. The basic operations you can perform with whole numbers are addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. 3. Addition ($+$) combines two whole numbers to get a larger whole number. For example, $3 + 4 = 7$. 4. Subtraction ($-$) finds the difference between two whole numbers. However, subtracting a larger number from a smaller one does not result in a whole number (e.g., $3 - 5$ is not a whole number). 5. Multiplication ($\times$) is repeated addition. For example, $4 \times 3$ means adding 4 three times: $4 + 4 + 4 = 12$. 6. Division ($\div$) splits a number into equal parts. Dividing whole numbers may not always result in a whole number (e.g., $7 \div 2$ is not a whole number). 7. Important rules: - Whole numbers are closed under addition and multiplication, meaning the result is always a whole number. - Whole numbers are not closed under subtraction and division. 8. Summary: Whole numbers are non-negative integers including zero, and you can add, subtract, multiply, and divide them, but subtraction and division may not always yield whole numbers.