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What is the difference between quantity and number?

quantity | number |

As nouns the difference between quantity and number

is that quantity is a fundamental, generic term used when referring to the measurement (count, amount) of a scalar, vector, number of items or to some other way of denominating the value of a collection or group of items while number is an abstract entity used to describe quantity.

As a verb number is

to label (items) with numbers; to assign numbers to (items).

As an adjective number is

comparative of numb.

quantity

English

(wikipedia quantity)

Noun

(quantities)
  • A fundamental, generic term used when referring to the measurement (count, amount) of a scalar, vector, number of items or to some other way of denominating the value of a collection or group of items.
    • You have to choose between quantity and quality.
  • An indefinite amount of something.
    • Some soap making oils are best as base oils, used in a larger quantity''' in the soap, while other oils are best added in a small '''quantity .
    Olive oil can be used practically in any quantity .
  • A specific measured amount.
    • This bag would normally costs $497.50 for a quantity of 250, at a price of $1.99 per piece.
    Generally it should not be used in a quantity larger than 15 percent.
  • A considerable measure or amount.
    • The Boeing P-26A was the first all-metal monoplane fighter produced in quantity for the U.S. Army Air Corps.
  • (metrology) Property of a phenomenon, body, or substance, where the property has a magnitude that can be expressed as number and a reference.
  • (mathematics) Indicates that the entire preceding expression is henceforth considered a single object.
    • x plus ''y'' quantity squared equals ''x'' squared plus ''2xy'' plus ''y'' squared .
  • * 2006 , Jerome E. Kaufmann and Karen Schwitters, Elementary and Intermediate Algebra: A Combined Approach , p 89
    • For problems 58-67, translate each word phrase into an algebraic expression.
    (...)
    65. x plus 9, the quantity squared
  • * 2005 , R. Mark Sirkin, Statistics For The Social Sciences , p137
    • The second, (\sum x)^2, read "summation of x, quantity squared," tells us to first add up all the xs to get \sum x and then square \sum x to get (\sum x)^2.
  • * 1985 , Serge Lang, Math!: Encounters with High School Students , p54
    • ANN. ra quantity cubed.
    SERGE LANG. That's right, (ra)^3.

    Usage notes

    * In mathematics, used to unambiguously orate mathematical equations; it is extremely rare in print, since there is no need for it there.

    Synonyms

    * Qty

    Related terms

    * quantifier * quantify * quantitate * quantitative * quantum * quanta * qualitas

    See also

    * measure * unit

    External links

    * * *

    number

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (l) (obsolete)

    Etymology 1

    (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (countable) An abstract entity used to describe quantity.
  • (countable) A numeral: a symbol for a non-negative integer
  • (countable, mathematics) A member of one of several classes: natural numbers, integers, rational numbers, real numbers, complex numbers, quaternions.
  • Indicating the position of something in a list or sequence. Abbreviations: No'' or '' (in each case, sometimes written with a superscript "o", like Nº or №). The symbol "#" is also used in this manner.
  • Quantity.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-08, volume=407, issue=8839, page=52, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= The new masters and commanders , passage=From the ground, Colombo’s port does not look like much.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • Number itself importeth not much in armies where the people are of weak courage.
  • A sequence of digits and letters used to register people, automobiles, and various other items.
  • (countable, informal) A telephone number.
  • * 2001 , E. Forrest Hein, The Ruach Project, Xulon Press, page 86:
    • “[...] I wonder if you could get hold of him and have him call me here at Interior. I’m in my office, do you have my number ?”
  • * 2007 , Lindsey Nicole Isham, No Sex in the City: One Virgin's Confessions on Love, Lust, Dating, and Waiting, Kregel Publications, page 111:
    • When I agreed to go surfing with him he said, “Great, can I have your number'?” Well, I don’t give my ' number to guys I don’t know.
  • (grammar) Of a word or phrase, the state of being singular, dual or plural, shown by inflection.
  • (now, rare, in the plural) Poetic metres; verses, rhymes.
  • * 1635 , (John Donne), The Triple Foole :
    • Griefe brought to numbers cannot be so fierce, / For, he tames it, that fetters it in verse.
  • (countable) A performance; especially, a single song or song and dance routine within a larger show.
  • (countable, informal) A person
  • * 1968 , Janet Burroway, The dancer from the dance: a novel, Little, Brown, page 40:
    • I laughed. "Don't doubt that. She's a saucy little number ."
  • * 1988 , Erica Jong, Serenissima, Dell, page 214:
    • "Signorina Jessica," says the maid, a saucy little number , "your father has gone to his prayers and demands that you come to the synagogue at once [...]"
  • * 2005 , Denise A. Agnew, Kate Hill & Arianna Hart, By Honor Bound, Ellora's Cave Publishing, page 207:
    • He had to focus on the mission, staying alive and getting out, not on the sexy number rubbing up against him.
  • (countable, informal) An item of clothing, particularly a stylish one
  • * 2007 , Cesca Martin, Agony Angel: So You Think You've Got Problems..., Troubador Publishing Ltd, page 134:
    • The trouble was I was wearing my backless glittering number from the night before underneath, so unless I could persuade the office it was National Fancy Dress Day I was doomed to sweat profusely in bottle blue.
  • * 2007 , Lorelei James, Running with the Devil, Samhain Publishing, Ltd, page 46:
    • "I doubt the sexy number you wore earlier tonight fell from the sky."
  • (slang, chiefly, US) A marijuana cigarette, or joint; also, a quantity of marijuana bought form a dealer.
  • * 2009 , (Thomas Pynchon), Inherent Vice , Vintage 2010, page 12:
    • Back at his place again, Doc rolled a number , put on a late movie, found an old T-shirt, and sat tearing it up into short strips
  • (dated) An issue of a periodical publication.
    • the latest number of a magazine
    Synonyms
    * (mathematical number) scalar
    Hyponyms
    * See also
    Derived terms
    * abundant number * algebraic number * binary number * cardinal number * complex number * decimal number * deficient number * do a number on * have someone's number * hexadecimal number * house number * hyperreal number * hypercomplex number * imaginary number * irrational number * meandric number * natural number * nice round number * number-cruncher * number-crunching * number field * number line * number one * number two * number theory * numberless * ordinal number * opposite number * perfect number * phone number * prime number * rational number * real number * round number * serial number * surreal number * take a number * telephone number * transcendental number * transfinite number * whole number * without number * (number)
    Related terms
    * numeral * numeric * numerical
    See also
    * (grammatical numbers) singular,? dual,? trial,? quadral,? paucal,? plural

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To label (items) with numbers; to assign numbers to (items).
    • Number the baskets so that we can find them easily.
  • To total or count; to amount to.
    • I don’t know how many books are in the library, but they must number in the thousands.
    Derived terms
    * number among

    See also

    *

    Etymology 2

    From numb + .

    Adjective

    (head)
  • (numb)

    • Statistics

    * 1000 English basic words 200 English basic words English heteronyms ----