Prime Numbers - 1

1 A prime number has exactly 2 factors 1 and itself.

e.g.
3 has two factors – 1 and 3
13 has two factors – 1 and 13
17 has two factors – 1 and 17

A. 2 is the smallest prime number.

B. 2 is the only even prime number.
C. 1 is not a prime number since it has only 1 factor.
D. 2,3 are the only consecutive numbers that are primes.
• (3,5) (5, 7) (11, 13)… are consecutive prime numbers but are not consecutive numbers.

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Prime Numbers - 2

2 A composite number has > 2 factors

e.g.
4 has three factors – 1, 2, 4
18 has six factors – 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 18
20 has six factors – 1, 2, 4, 5, 10, 20

1 is not a composite number since it has less than 2 factors.

3 Prime factorization of a number is represented as P1a × P2b × P3c…

e.g.

96 = 25 × 31 616 = 23 × 71 × 111
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Prime Numbers - 3

4 The number of prime factors is independent of the powers of the prime factors.

e.g.
12 = 22 × 3 & 108 = 22 × 33 Powers different,
30 = 2 × 3 × 5 & 60 = 22 × 3 × 5 Prime factors -> same

• All the prime factors and their powers needed to find out the number.

e.g.

Prime factors Numbers

2, 3 12 = 22 × 3
18 = 2 × 32 We need to know both prime factors and

2, 5, 7 70 = 2 × 5 * 7 powers to find out the number.

140 = 22 × 5 × 7

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Prime Numbers - 4

5 N & NX will have the same number of prime factors

• 12 = 22 × 3 & 123 = 26 × 33
• 60 = 22 × 3 × 5 & 602 = 24 × 32 × 52
• 75 = 3 × 52 & 752 = 32 × 54

Number of factors in the numbers and their powers remain the same

6 Effect of multiplication on prime factors: NX will have the same or more prime factors than N.

Scenario 1 Scenario 2

Prime factors of NX = that of N Prime factors of NX > that of N

N is 240 = 24 × 3 × 5 & X = 6 N is 240 = 24 × 3 × 5 & X = 21

NX = 240 × 6 = 25 × 32 × 5 NX = 240 × 21 = 24 × 32 × 5 × 7

The number of prime factors remains the The number of prime factors increases
same after multiplication. after multiplication.
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