real number

American  

[ree-uhl, reel] / ˈri əl, ril /

noun

Mathematics.

1. a rational number or the limit of a sequence of rational numbers, as opposed to a complex number.

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real number British  

noun

1. a number expressible as a limit of rational numbers See number

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real number Scientific  

/ rē′əl /

1. A number that can be written as a terminating or nonterminating decimal; a rational or irrational number. The numbers 2, −12.5, 3/7, and pi (π) are all real numbers.

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Etymology

Origin of real number

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

real number

The $124 trillion projected to move across generations between now and 2048 is a real number.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 17, 2026

Linvill said he had personally tracked at least "a couple of hundred accounts the Russians hacked," but the real number was likely far higher.

From Barron's ● May 29, 2026

The real number is higher, as some of the most troubled mortgages are taken out of the MBS pool of loans.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 3, 2026

Those bites cause about 30,000 deaths annually in sub-Saharan Africa, though some estimates suggest the real number is much higher.

From BBC ● Feb. 1, 2026

That means we can make a list of seats, showing a seat's number along with the real number that is sitting in it.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife