QA – Prime Numbers

Prime Numbers :

Except 1 each natural number which is divisible by only 1 and itself is called as prime number
e.g., 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, … etc.

 There are total 25 prime numbers up to 100 and 46 prime numbers up to 200
 2 is the only even prime number and the smallest prime number, rest all prime
numbers are odd
 1 is neither prime nor composite number.
 A list of all the prime numbers up to 100 is given below.

Table of Prime Number (

2 11 23 31 41 53 61 71 83 97
3 13 29 37 43 59 67 73 89
5 17 47 79
7 19

Composite Numbers : A number other than one which is not a prime number is called a
composite number. It means it is divisible by some other number(s) other than 1 and the
number itself. e.g., 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 25, 26…

A number is composite if it is the product of two or more distinct or same prime numbers.
Lowest composite number is 4. Every natural number except 1 is either prime of composite.

There is no formula to identify or find a prime number.

N2 - N + 41 For all the values of N from -39 to +39, this expression gives us a prime number.
N2 + N + 17 is again a similar example.

Properties of Prime Numbers

1. All the prime numbers P > 3 give a remainder 1 or 5 when divided by 6; that is, all the
prime numbers > 3 will be of the format 6N ± 1. But vice versa is not always true.
2. If P is a prime number >3, such that P = 6N ± 1, then P2 – 1 is divisible by 24 .This can be
proved as:
N – 1 = (6n ± 1)2 – 1 = (36n2 ± 12n +1) – 1= 36n2 ± 12n = 12n(3n ± 1)
2

If n is odd then 3n ± 1 is even .Then n(3n ± 1) is even OR

If n is even then 3n ± 1 is odd. Then n * (3n ± 1) is even

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QA – Prime Numbers

So in any case n * (3n ± 1) is even.N2 – 1 = 12 * Even = Multiple of 24

3. There is only one set of three prime numbers with a gap of 2 between two prime
numbers and that set is 3, 5 and 7.

Solved Examples

1) If N, N + 2 and N + 4 are prime numbers, then the number of possible s for N is are:(CAT
2003)
(a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) None of these
There is only one triplet of prime numbers where difference between any two prime number is
2, that is 3, 5 and 7. So, N = 3 is the only . Hence, the answer is (a).
Alternatively we know that prime numbers are of the form 6M ± 1 (except 2 and 3). Now if N is
of the format 6M + 1, then N + 2 will of 6M + 3 format and N + 4 will be of 6M + 5 format. Out
of these three numbers, since N + 2 is of 6M + 3 format, it will be divisible by 3.
Similarly, if N is of the format 6M - 1, then N + 2 will of 6M + 1 format and N + 4 will be of 6m +
3 format. Out of these three numbers, since N + 4 is of 6M + 3 format, it will be divisible by 3.
In both the cases, we find that one number out of given three number is divisible by 3. In the
given above (3, 5 and 7), one of the given three numbers is divisible by 3.

2) Let x and y be positive integers such that x is prime and y is composite. Then which of
the following is true? (CAT 2003)
(a) y-x cannot be an even integer
(b) xy cannot be an even integer
(c) cannot be an even integer
(d) None of these
Eliminating the options,
To eliminate option (a), If y = 4 and x = 2, then_y - x can be even.
To eliminate option (b), If y = 4 and x = 2, then yx can be even.
To eliminate option (c), lf y = 6 and x = 2, then it can be even.
So, the answer is option (d).

3) How many triplets of Prime numbers can be formed such that the terms of the triplet are in
A.P.?

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QA – Prime Numbers

(1) one (2) three (3) five (4) More than Five

We alternately add 2 and 4 to get the next prime number. So alternate prime numbers can
have a difference of 6 and we can definitely get more than five triplets

( 5 , 11 , 17 )

( 11 , 17 , 23 )

( 17 , 23 , 29 )
( 31 , 37 , 43 )
( 41 , 47 , 53 )
( 47 , 53 , 59 )

4) P is a prime number greater than 3. What is the remainder when P2 + 17 is divided by 12?
(CAT 1999)

(1) 6 (2) 1 (3)8 (4) 0

P2 + 17 = (P2 – 1) + 18

As P2 – 1 is divisible by 24, it is also divisible by 12. So required remainder is the remainder of 18

divided by 12 ie. 6 .

This question can easily be solved by taking some suitable values of P.

5) If P is composite integer, which is not a perfect square. Consider the following statements
A: P has a factor lying between 1 and square root of P

B: P has a factor lying between square root of P and P then

(1) Both A and B are false (2) A is true, B false.

(3) A is false, B true (4) Both A and B true.

(CAT 2003)

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QA – Prime Numbers

If P is not having a factor lying between 1 and square root of P then it will be a prime number.
But P is composite integer. Hence statement (A) is true. As P has factor lying between 1 and
square root of P , it will also have factor lying between square root of P and P because for any
natural number ,number of factors below the square root is same as number of factors above
the square root. Hence statement (B) is also true. Choice (4)

6) How many natural numbers below 50 are there in the condition that (n – 1)! is not a multiple of
n? (CAT 2003)
(1) 15 (2) 16 (3) 17 (4) 18

n has to be a prime number. 1 to 50 there are 15 prime numbers. But 4 is an exception. 4 is not
prime but still it will satisfy the above condition. So number of s for n is 15 + 1 = 16
Choice (2)

How to test whether a number is prime of not

To check a number N is prime

Step 1 : Take the square root of the number N.
Step 2 : Check divisibility of the number N by all prime numbers below square root of N. If it is
not divisible by all of them then it is a prime number.
eg. Let N = 211 ,then square root of 211 = Between 14 and 15
Prime numbers up to 14 are 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13 .
Now 211 is not divisible by any one of them .Hence 211 is prime.
In the above process we take prime numbers up to square root of N and not above that. The
reason behind that is for any natural number ,number of factors below the square root is same
as number of factors above the square root. So if there is no factor below the square root
(except 1), there will not be any factor above the square root (except N) also.

EXAMPLE Check that whether 241 is prime.

SOLUTION When we take the square root of 241 it is approximate 15, so we consider it 16.
Now we divide 241 by all the prime numbers below 16

Since 241 is not divisible by any one of the prime numbers below 16. So it is a Prime number.

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QA – Prime Numbers

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