- 2 is a prime number. It can only be divided exactly by 1 and 2 itself.
- 3 is a prime number. It can only be divided exactly by 1 and 3 itself.
- 4 is not a prime number. It can be divided exactly by 1, 2 and 4.
Dictionary Definition
The Oxford English Dictionary defines a prime number as "a number that cannot be divided by any whole number (without a remainder) other than itself and one."The Prime Numbers
The prime numbers are:
In a number square, the prime numbers are shaded below:
These are just the prime numbers under 100. There are infinitely many prime numbers, they go on forever.
Prime Numbers Are Natural Numbers Greater Than 1
Prime numbers are natural numbers (the counting numbers: 1, 2, 3...) greater than 1. 1 is not a prime number, even though it can only be divided by 1 and itself. Some times in history is has been considered a prime number, but now it is not.Interactive Game on Prime Numbers
Here is an interactive game to help you learn about prime numbers.
- You are the fish.
- Pop the bubbles with prime to collect points.
- Every correct bubble you pop earns you a green tick. If you can get five green ticks, you'll earn 1,000 bonus points! However, when a bubble with a prime number reaches the top without being popped, you will lose a green tick.
- Avoid the bubbles with other number types. If you pop one, you will lose one of your three lives and your green ticks will return to zero.
- The lower you pop a correct bubble the more score you score.
- Good luck!
- The fish moves towards your clicks. (Hint: The farther the distance, the faster it moves.)
Factors
Numbers that divide exactly into another number are called factors. For example, the factors of 4 are 1, 2 and 4 because they all divide exactly into 4. Prime numbers only have two factors, 1 and the prime number itself. The only factors of 2 are 1 and 2. The only factors of 3 are 1 and 3. The only factors of 5 are 1 and 5.
This page was written by Stephen Clarke.
You might also like...
numbersarithmetic with even and odd numbersunderstanding composite numbersthe fundamental theorem of arithmetic
Help Us Improve Mathematics Monster
- Do you disagree with something on this page?
- Did you spot a typo?
Find Us Quicker!
- When using a search engine (e.g., Google, Bing), you will find Mathematics Monster quicker if you add #mm to your search term.
Share This Page
If you like Mathematics Monster (or this page in particular), please link to it or share it with others.
If you do, please tell us. It helps us a lot!
Create a QR Code
Use our handy widget to create a QR code for this page...or any page.
