Why on earth do you need to know about prime and composite numbers? Fractions! Work with fractions becomes much easier if you recognize prime and composite numbers. It helps you know if a fraction needs to be simplified.
Let’s Get Started
Here are some of the terms you will encounter when working with numbers.
Factor – A number that is multiplied by another number to find a product
2 and 3 are factors of 6, because 2×3 = 6.
Prime number – A number with only two factors, itself and 1.
7 is prime because its only factor are 1 and 7.
1×7 = 7
Composite number – A number with more than two factors.
6 is a composite number because 1, 2, 3, and 6 are all factor of 6.
1 x 6 = 6 2 x 3 = 6