Examples of Composite Numbers
- 4
- 4 is composite because 2 is a factor
- 8
- 8 is a composite number because it has 4 and 2 as factors
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Related:
- free online prime factorization calculator
- prime factorization lesson
- Seive of Erasthenes
- prime factors list (generates list of primes up to any number)
- prime and perfect numbers
- prime factorization resources
- composite number
A composite number is a positive integer that has a factor other than 1 and itself. For instance, 6 is a composite number because:
- it is positive
- it has a factor other than 1 and itself (both 2 and 3 are factors of 6)
If you are familiar with prime numbers, then you should recognize that a positive integer is either prime or composite--these two terms are mutually exclusive.
Non examples of Composite Numbers
- 5
- 5 is not a composite number because its only factors are 1 and itself (5). 5 is, however, a prime number.
- 2
- 2 is not a composite number because its only factors are 1 and itself (2). 2 is, however, a prime number. 2 is also the even number that is not composite. Every other even number is indeed a composite number.
- 7
- 7 is not a composite number because its only factors are 1 and itself (7). 7 is, however, a prime number.
