Is the number 73 prime, composite, or neither?

2 Answers
Jan 1, 2017

#73# is a prime number. It has only 2 factors.

Explanation:

All natural numbers (the whole numbers starting from 1), except 1, are either prime or composite.

A prime number has exactly 2 factors - 1 and itself.

Composite numbers have more than 2 factors.

1 is unique in that it has only 1 factor, it is neither prime nor composite.

#73# can only be divided by 1 and itself, it has only 2 factors and it therefore a prime number

Jan 18, 2017

Prime

Explanation:

A prime number only has the factors one and itself. A composite number has more than two factors. The number that is neither are zero and one. Zero can't be divided by one or any number, one can only be divided by one. All primes but two are odd, and seventy three has only the factors of one and seventy three, so it is prime.