Composite Number

A composite number is a whole number greater than 1 that can be divided by at least one number other than 1 and itself. In simpler terms, a composite number has more than two factors. Factors are numbers that can be multiplied together to get the composite number. For example, 6 is a composite number because it can be divided evenly by 1, 2, 3, and 6.

Characteristics of Composite Numbers:

1. Composite numbers are not prime numbers. Prime numbers are numbers that have only two factors - 1 and the number itself.

2. The smallest composite number is 4 because it can be divided by 1, 2, and 4.

3. Composite numbers can be represented as a product of prime numbers. This is known as the fundamental theorem of arithmetic.

Identification of Composite Numbers:

To identify if a number is composite, you can check if it has factors other than 1 and itself. If there are additional factors, then the number is composite. For example, the number 20 has factors 1, 2, 4, 5, 10, and 20, making it a composite number.

In conclusion, composite numbers play a significant role in mathematics and are essential in various number theory concepts.