Clarify F# basic types (#6372)

* Clarify F# basic types

* Redirect, xrefs, feedback

Author: cartermp

.openpublishing.redirection.json

@@ -1333,6 +1333,11 @@
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+        },
+        {
+            "source_path":"docs/fsharp/language-reference/primitive-types.md",
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docs/fsharp/language-reference/basic-types.md

@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+---
+title: Basic Types (F#)
+description: Discover the fundamental basic types that are used in the F# language.
+ms.date: 07/09/2018
+---
+# Basic types
+
+This topic lists the basic types that are defined in the F# language. These types are the most fundamental in F#, forming the basis of nearly every F# program. They are a superset of .NET primitive types.
+
+|Type|.NET type|Description|
+|----|---------|-----------|
+|`bool`|<xref:System.Boolean>|Possible values are `true` and `false`.|
+|`byte`|<xref:System.Byte>|Values from 0 to 255.|
+|`sbyte`|<xref:System.SByte>|Values from -128 to 127.|
+|`int16`|<xref:System.Int16>|Values from -32768 to 32767.|
+|`uint16`|<xref:System.UInt16>|Values from 0 to 65535.|
+|`int`|<xref:System.Int32>|Values from -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647.|
+|`uint32`|<xref:System.UInt32>|Values from 0 to 4,294,967,295.|
+|`int64`|<xref:System.Int64>|Values from -9,223,372,036,854,775,808 to 9,223,372,036,854,775,807.|
+|`uint64`|<xref:System.UInt64>|Values from 0 to 18,446,744,073,709,551,615.|
+|`nativeint`|<xref:System.IntPtr>|A native pointer as a signed integer.|
+|`unativeint`|<xref:System.UIntPtr>|A native pointer as an unsigned integer.|
+|`char`|<xref:System.Char>|Unicode character values.|
+|`string`|<xref:System.String>|Unicode text.|
+|`decimal`|<xref:System.Decimal>|A floating point data type that has at least 28 significant digits.|
+|`unit`|not applicable|Indicates the absence of an actual value. The type has only one formal value, which is denoted `()`. The unit value, `()`, is often used as a placeholder where a value is needed but no real value is available or makes sense.|
+|`void`|<xref:System.Void>|Indicates no type or value.|
+|`float32`, `single`|<xref:System.Single>|A 32-bit floating point type.|
+|`float`, `double`|<xref:System.Double>|A 64-bit floating point type.|
+
+>[!NOTE]
+You can perform computations with integers too big for the 64-bit integer type by using the [bigint](https://msdn.microsoft.com/library/dc8be18d-4042-46c4-b136-2f21a84f6efa) type. `bigint` is not considered a basic type; it is an abbreviation for `System.Numerics.BigInteger`.
+
+## See also
+[F# Language Reference](index.md)

docs/fsharp/language-reference/index.md

@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ The following table shows reference topics available that describe types support
 |Title|Description|
 |-----|-----------|
 |[values](values/index.md)|Describes values, which are immutable quantities that have a specific type; values can be integral or floating point numbers, characters or text, lists, sequences, arrays, tuples, discriminated unions, records, class types, or function values.|
-|[Primitive Types](primitive-types.md)|Describes the fundamental primitive types that are used in the F# language. It also provides the corresponding .NET types and the minimum and maximum values for each type.|
+|[Basic Types](basic-types.md)|Describes the fundamental basic types that are used in the F# language. It also provides the corresponding .NET types and the minimum and maximum values for each type.|
 |[Unit Type](unit-type.md)|Describes the `unit` type, which is a type that indicates the absence of a specific value; the `unit` type has only a single value, which acts as a placeholder when no other value exists or is needed.|
 |[Strings](strings.md)|Describes strings in F#. The `string` type represents immutable text, as a sequence of Unicode characters. `string` is an alias for `System.String` in the .NET Framework.|
 |[Tuples](tuples.md)|Describes tuples, which are groupings of unnamed but ordered values of possibly different types.|

docs/fsharp/language-reference/primitive-types.md

@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@
 ### [Literals](fsharp/language-reference/literals.md)
 ### [F# Types](fsharp/language-reference/fsharp-types.md)
 ### [Type Inference](fsharp/language-reference/type-inference.md)
-### [Primitive Types](fsharp/language-reference/primitive-types.md)
+### [Basic Types](fsharp/language-reference/basic-types.md)
 ### [Unit Type](fsharp/language-reference/unit-type.md)
 ### [Strings](fsharp/language-reference/strings.md)
 ### [Tuples](fsharp/language-reference/tuples.md)