Question

The natural number 2 is :

• A. a prime number
• B. a composite number
• C. prime as well as composite
• D. neither prime nor composite

Hint:

Remember that 1 is the only natural number that is neither prime nor composite. Every other natural number falls into one of those two categories.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

To determine if the natural number 2 is a prime number, a composite number, neither, or both, let's first define these terms:

1. Prime Number: A natural number greater than 1 that has no divisors other than 1 and itself. 
2. Composite Number: A natural number greater than 1 that has more than two distinct positive divisors; typically, it has divisors other than 1 and itself.
3. Neither Prime nor Composite: Numbers that do not fit the criteria for being prime or composite. For natural numbers, 1 is a typical example.

Let's analyze the number 2 based on these definitions:

1. The number 2 is greater than 1.
2. The divisors of 2 are 1 and 2.

Since 2 has only two divisors, 1 and itself, it satisfies the definition of a prime number. Thus, 2 is not a composite number because it does not have more than two divisors.

Therefore, 2 is a prime number.

Based on this analysis, the correct answer is:

a prime number