Mathematically, '''continuum''' can refer to the [[Real_line|real line]], its [[Cardinality|cardinality]] <math>2^{\aleph_1aleph_0}</math>, or any [[Continuous|continuous]] [[Connected_(topology)|connected]] [[Dense_subset|dense]] [[Linear_order|linear order]]. Generally, when mathematicians say "the continuum", they are referring to one of the first two possibilities (context clarifies which one). The [[Continuum_hypothesis|Continuum Hypothesis]] conjectures that there is no set of cardinality bigger than that of the [[natural number]]s <math>\aleph_0</math>, but smaller than the cardinality of the set of the real numbers, <math>\aleph_1 = 2^{\aleph_0}</math>.
The continuum is called so because it was the first (and most prominent) [[Continuous|continuous]] set studied by mathematicians. No additional numbers may be added to the continuum (real line) without losing its dense linear order. Since the [[Complex_number|complex numbers]] add the [[Imaginary_number|imaginary number]], i, to the real line, this is one reason they have no natural linear order.
[[Category:Mathematics]]