Which statement correctly describes an integer?

• A. A number that can be negative.
• B. A decimal with a fractional part.
• C. A number that can be expressed as a ratio of two integers.
• D. A non-integer.

Answer: (A)

Integers are whole numbers that can be positive, negative, or zero, and they have no fractional part. Because integers include negative values, the statement that a number can be negative captures a true aspect of integers. It doesn’t claim anything about being exclusively negative or about having a fractional part, which keeps it a correct and useful description. The other descriptions either describe numbers with fractional parts (not integers), describe a broader class (rationals) that includes many non-integers, or describe non-integers altogether. So the idea that integers can be negative aligns with a key property of integers and is the best match among the options.