Mathematical differences
There are a total of 9 digits: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0. The numbers are 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0, as well as 10,11,12 and many others. There are fractional (to 1.24) and a negative number ( -5). Natural numbers are the Prime numbers that are used for counting objects. Fractional, natural and negative numbers do not exist.
Modern decimal number system is based on Arabic figures, which were introduced to Europe in the 13th century. Before that, Europeans used the Roman system of numbers. Still Roman characters are used in some wall and watch, as well as to identify bulleted lists in the texts.
In the past the numbers were called letters of the alphabet.
You can draw an analogy between digits, numbers, letters and words. All words are letters. There are words consisting of several letters, and words consisting of only one letter, for example, prepositions (on, at) or the unions (and, and).
Similarly, the numbers consist of numbers and are denoted by them. The number 1 consists of the numbers 1. The number 200 consists of the digits 2 and 0. The number 25 consists of two digits: 2 and 5. Mobile number 9876543210 consists of ten digits.
The figure is a symbol or graphical symbol, which is written a number.
Single digits may be confused with numerals. To understand that you have a number or figure, refer to the context.
Numbers can be added, to share and spend time with them other mathematical operations. You can't do that with numbers. Numbers can denote anything, for example, the equation.
Linguistic differences
If we are talking about the official figures, in the speech he used the word "figure". For example, you can talk about the figures of unemployment, inflation and trade. In this sense, the word "figure" close to the concepts of "statistics" or "data".
The concept of "number" is used in numerology as a sign of influencing fate. For example, the numbers in your birth date indicate characteristics of the person. Each digit thus is endowed with special mystical meaning. It is also believed that some numbers can bring good luck.
The word "number" in speech most often used in the sense of "quantity". For example, you can name the exact number of victims after an accident.
Another meaning of the word "number" is the calendar day or date. Also this concept applies to day of the month. While in the Russian language uses ordinal numbers. So, we can say that today is the twenty-fourth of April two thousand and fourteen or twenty-fourth number. The word "number" with the value "date" is used in colloquial speech.
Also, the word "number" is used in the sense of "the totality of anything" and "amount". For example, the equation 4+5=9 is the number 9, it is the sum of 4 and 5.