What is the Difference Between Prime and Composite Numbers

The main difference between prime and composite numbers is that a prime number has two factors and composite numbers have more than two factors. In mathematics, numbers are the most important component in studying the subject. In the “Natural Number” bracket, the numbers are either divided between prime and composite numbers. Always remember that 1 is either a prime or composite number. All other numbers are either prime or composite. 

Keep reading to know the basic difference between prime and composite numbers. 

What are Prime Numbers?

Prime numbers in the mathematical form are natural numbers that have only two factors i.e. 1 and the number itself. 

The first ten primes are 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29.

Here are some fun facts about Prime numbers:

1. 2 is the smallest prime number.
2. 59 and 61 both are prime numbers with a composite number between them, i.e. 60.
3. 17 and 71 are both prime numbers. 71 is the reverse number of 17.

What are Composite Numbers?

Composite numbers are natural numbers that have more than 2 factors. For a fact, all natural numbers that are not prime, are composite numbers except 1. 

The first ten primes are 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20.

Here are some fun facts about composite numbers:

1. 4 is the smallest composite number.
2. Composite numbers are evenly divisible by their factors.
3. They are divisible by other composite numbers itself.

Also Read: Difference Between Parallel and Perpendicular

What is the Difference between Prime and Composite Numbers?

Here are some factors that can differentiate between prime and composite numbers represented in a tabular form:

Particulars	Prime Numbers	Composite Numbers
Definition	Natural Numbers with only 2 factors	Natural Numbers with more than 2 factors
Smallest Numbers	2	4
Factorization	1* P (Number itself)	1* A* B… (A and B are Natural Numbers)
Number of Factors	2	More than 2
Examples	2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29.	4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20.

Also Read: Chain Rule Questions and Answers

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