Final answer:
The trichotomy property of whole numbers is a mathematical principle stating that for any two whole numbers, exactly one of the following is true: one is greater than the other, one is less than the other, or both are equal.
Step-by-step explanation:
Trichotomy Property of Whole Numbers
The trichotomy property of whole numbers states that for any two whole numbers, exactly one of the following is true: one number is greater than the other, one number is less than the other, or both numbers are equal. This is a fundamental principle in mathematics that applies to the set of whole numbers, also known as non-negative integers.
Examples to illustrate the trichotomy property are straightforward:
- If we compare the numbers 5 and 8, we can see that 5 is less than 8.
- If we compare the numbers 12 and 12, they are equal.
- When comparing 10 to 7, 10 is greater than 7.
This property ensures that any pair of whole numbers can be compared in terms of size and that there are no ambiguities in their ordering.