What is the difference between a prime and a composite number?

1 Answer
Shwetank Mauria
Mar 30, 2016

Please see below.

Explanation:

A prime number has no other factor other than #1# and itself. For example, #5# has only #{1,5}# as its factor. Similar is the position for #13#, #43#, #79#, #101#, #223# etc.

Composite numbers on the other hand are those who have factors other than one and itself like #6#, #39#, #87#, #553#, #667# etc. as factors of #6# are #{1,2,3,6}#, that of #39# are #{1,3,13,39}#, that of #87# are #{1,3,29,87}#, that of #553# are #{1,7,79,553}# and that of #667# are #{1,23,29,667}#.

#1# is considered neither as prime nor as composite.

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