Composite numbers are positive integers that have more than two factors. In other words, they are numbers that can be formed by multiplying two smaller positive integers. For example, 14 is a composite number because it can be expressed as the product of the two smaller integers 2 × 7. On the other hand, prime numbers are positive integers that have exactly two factors, 1 and itself. For example, 7 is a prime number because its only factors are 1 and 7.
Some key facts about composite numbers include:
- Every positive integer is either composite, prime, or the unit 1.
- All even numbers except 2 are composite numbers.
- Composite numbers can be written as the product of two or more primes, and this representation is unique up to the order of the factors.
- Composite numbers can be classified by counting the number of prime factors they have.
Examples of composite numbers include 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 21, 25, 27, 30, 52, and many more.
