What type of number can be expressed as a fraction, such as 3/4 or 5/1?

A rational number is defined as any number that can be expressed as the quotient or fraction of two integers, where the denominator is not zero. This includes fractions like 3/4 and whole numbers like 5/1, which is simply 5. Rational numbers can be positive, negative, or zero, making them quite versatile in mathematical operations.

Whole numbers are a subset of rational numbers, but they do not include negative numbers or fractions. Integers also include negative whole numbers, but they do not encompass fractions like 3/4. Natural numbers are the set of positive whole numbers, starting from 1 and excluding zero and any fractions. Thus, the most accurate classification for numbers that can be represented as a fraction, including both proper and improper fractions, is rational numbers.