First DSLR camera, what do the number behind stand for?

In reguards to the lens. First off 18-55 mm? Then there's the f/3.5 - 5.6? Finally come the acronyms AF-S DX VR? I'm looking at the Nikon D3200 24.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR… This is just for pleasure. Taking pictures or moving kids!

18-55 is the focal length range of the zoom lens in mm

The "f/3.5" stuff tells you how "fast" the lens is, how much light can be passed by the lens, it will vary by the zoom setting

AF-S is probably means it has Auto focusing

DX is the size of the CMOS sensor

24.2 mp is the resolution of the CMOS sensor

Do a wikipedia on the camera, more info there

Nice camera, enjoy

18-55 mm is the focal lengths of the zoom lens.

http://imaging.nikon.com/...simulator/

The lens maximum lens aperture is listed in f/stops. An f/stop is calculated by dividing the focal length of the lens by its aperture. 50 mm lens with a 25 mm aperture is (50 mm/25 mm = f/2) When an lans aperture is listed on a zoom lens, the larger f/stop (f/3.5) is the maximum aperture at the shortest focal length and the smaller f/stop (f/5.6) is the maximum aperture at the longest focal length

AF-S. Auto Focus is AF and the S tells you that the lens has a ultra fast focusing motor

The Nikon D3200 has the best performing sensor of all the cropped frame (DX) dSLR cameras but its big brother, the D5200.

The sensor on this camera is a CMOS sensor. There are others like the CCD, common on much older dSLR cameras and most P&S cameras.