WORKING WITH PRIME NUMBERS

Prime Numbers are studied under Arithmetic under Math. The Number system is classified into different types based on their properties as:

• Whole Numbers
• Natural Numbers
• Rational and Irrational numbers
• Integers
• Prime Numbers

Prime Numbers are a type of numbers discussed here. Prime Numbers are those numbers which are divisible only by themselves and 1. For example :13 is only divisible by itself and 1.
In other words, prime Numbers are those which do not have any other factors apart from themselves and 1.

Prime numbers have the following characteristics:

• 2 is the only Prime number
• 0 and 1 cannot be considered as Prime numbers
• A number ending with 5 or 0 is never prime as it is divisible by 5.

Students have to learn to differentiate between the kinds of numbers. The prime numbers are often used in finding Prime factors of a number(Prime factorization). Students should also learn about divisibility and the rules of divisibility.