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Is 0 or 1 prime?

1 is depending on what book you read. 2 is the first real prime.

0 is hard because it denotes an absence of value.
 
Originally posted by: KingNothing
The definition of a prime number is that its only factors are 1 and itself. 1 fits that definition, 0 does not.

1 is not a prime number nor is it a composite number. It has a special name but I don't remember.

0 is also not a prime number.
 
Originally posted by: WobbleWobble
Originally posted by: KingNothing
The definition of a prime number is that its only factors are 1 and itself. 1 fits that definition, 0 does not.

1 is not a prime number nor is it a composite number. It has a special name but I don't remember.

0 is also not a prime number.

a perfect square?
 
By mathematical definition, 1 is a prime number. However by convention, 1 is excluded from the list of prime numbers.
 
Originally posted by: Kyteland
"Is 0 or 1 prime?"
"Are 0 and 1 prime?"

Is 0 or 1 prime seems more like "Is 0 prime, or is 1 prime", not "are either of 0 or 1 prime?". Like either one is or the other is, not that neither or both can be.
 
well zero isnt a number its a concept so 0 is not a prime number because its not a number

1 on the other hand can be considered prime or not
 
You have a choice to make here:
"Are 0 and 1 prime numbers?"
OR:
"Is 0 or 1 a prime number?"

The "is" option implies that one of the two is a prime and you're not sure which one. Since you're not sure about either, I would use the "are" option.
 
Originally posted by: BigJelly
well zero isnt a number its a concept so 0 is not a prime number because its not a number

1 on the other hand can be considered prime or not

Proof that zero isn't a number?

Google says otherwise, although the top sourse is USAToday.....
 
Originally posted by: dullard
By mathematical definition, 1 is a prime number. However by convention, 1 is excluded from the list of prime numbers.

Hey Dullard, how's it going? I tend to always see you in these threads. 🙂

The correct definition of prime number is: A whole number greater than 1 that is divisible by only itself and 1. Most teachers seem to forget to include the first part about being greater than 1. The reason for prime numbers is for prime factorization (factoring something completely into its components).

Every number has a unique prime factorization. i.e. 60's prime factorization is 2*2*3*5.

If 1 was a prime factor, then the factorization could be written as 2*2*3*5*1 or 2*2*3*5*1*1 or 2*2*3*5*1*1*1*1*1*1 or...

Prime numbers are useful for quite a few applications, especially including encryption.
 
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