An octave is the range of 8 notes of a major scale. The first note and last note of a major scale always have the same name. In the C major scale the distance from the lowest C to the C note above it is one octave (8 notes). The following example is one octave of the C major scale.
Each of the 8 notes in the major scale is given a scale degree (or scale number).
The following diagram shows all of the natural notes in the first position. They are all notes of the C major scale, even though the lowest note of the pattern is E and the highest note is G. The key note C is indicated twice. This pattern can be described as the full first position fingering of the C major scale.