What three prime numbers add up to 144?

Answer 1

In order to get three prime numbers to add up to an even number, one of them will have to be even. The only even Prime number is 2.

144 - 2 = 142.

You need to find 2 prime numbers that can add up to 142. 71 is prime and added to itself will be 142, but that won't give you three different prime numbers.

Use a list of prime numbers and subtract each prime that is greater than 71 (fewer than primes less than 71) from 142 to see if the difference is another prime:

142 - 73 = 69 (not prime)

142 - 79 = 63 (not prime)

142 - 83 = 59 (prime)

142 - 89 = 53 (prime)

142 - 97 = 45 (not prime)

142 - 101 = 41 (prime)

142 - 103 = 39 (not prime)

142 - 107 = 35 (not prime)

142 - 109 = 33 (not prime)

142 - 113 = 29 (prime)

142 - 127 = 15 (not prime)

142 - 131 = 11 (prime)

142 - 137 = 5 (prime)

142 - 139 = 3 (prime)

You end up with 7 sets of 3 prime numbers that add up to 144:

• 2, 59, 83
• 2, 53, 89
• 2, 41, 101
• 2, 29, 113
• 2, 11, 131
• 2, 5, 137
• 2, 3, 139