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The fundamental theorem of arithmetic states that any number greater then 1 can be expressed as the product of a unique set of primes. i.e. 6=3x2. If 1 was a Prime number then 6=3x2x1=3x2x1x1 which means that the set of primes in no longer unique. They wanted the theorem to work, so mathematicians decided 1 can't be a prime number. Same goes for 0 becasue if 0 was a prime number then 0=0x2=0x3.
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Why is 21 composite and not prime?
21 has the factors 21,1,7,3. A prime number has only 2 factors which are 1 and itself. Composite numbers are everything else except 1 and 0. 1 and 0 are neither prime, nor composite.
Is 89 prime or composite?
A prime number has only 2 factors which are 1 and itself. Composite numbers are everything else except 1 and 0. 1 and 0 are neither prime, nor composite. 89 is prime.
Is 37 a prime ora composite?
37 is a prime number. A prime number has only 2 factors which are 1 and itself. Composite numbers are everything else except 1 and 0. 1 and 0 are neither prime, nor composite.
What does prime and composite mean?
When referring to positive integers, prime means having only two factors and composite means having more than two.
Why is zero neither prime nor composite?
0 has every number as a factor. A prime number has only 2 factors which are 1 and itself. Composite numbers are everything else except 1 and 0. 1 and 0 are neither prime, nor composite.
