Which data type represents whole numbers in Python?

In Python, the data type that represents whole numbers is the integer data type. Integers are used to store numerical values without any decimal component, allowing for precise arithmetic calculations involving whole numbers. This can include positive numbers, negative numbers, and zero.

Using integers is fundamental in programming for tasks that involve counting, indexing, and other operations where fractional values are unnecessary. For example, if you need to keep track of the number of items in a collection or perform iterations in a loop, integers would be the appropriate choice.

In contrast, floats represent numbers that have decimal points and can express fractional components, strings are sequences of characters used for text, and booleans are used to represent truth values, such as true or false. Thus, the integer type is specifically designed for representing whole numbers, making it the correct choice in this context.