Definition
A whole number, with no fractional or decimal part. Integers include positive whole numbers, negative whole numbers, and zero.
Plain English
A counting number with nothing after a decimal point. Numbers like 3, 17, 0, and -5 are integers; 3.5 and 1/2 are not.
Context Anchor
Seen in aviation manuals, performance notes, computer-based systems, and procedures when a value must be entered or treated as a whole number.
Derivation
From the Latin integer, meaning whole or untouched. The same root gives us integrity. The idea is a number that has not been broken into parts.
Why Pilots Care
If an instruction calls for an integer, using a decimal value can make the entry or calculation wrong.
Intuition Check
Integer does not mean just “any number.” It means a number with no decimal or fractional part.
Example Sentence 1
The number of engine cycles recorded on the data plate is always shown as an integer.
Example Sentence 2
The performance chart listed all distances as integers in feet.