How many prime factors does a prime number possess?

Disable ads (and more) with a premium pass for a one time $4.99 payment

Study for the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) with multiple-choice questions and detailed explanations. Enhance your preparation with practice flashcards and hints. Get ready for your GMAT exam!

A prime number is defined as a natural number greater than one that cannot be formed by multiplying two smaller natural numbers. In other words, a prime number has exactly two distinct positive divisors: one and itself. For example, the number 5 is prime because its only divisors are 1 and 5.

The key point is that since a prime number can only be divided evenly by one and itself, it will always have precisely one unique prime factor, which is the number itself. Therefore, when asked how many prime factors a prime number possesses, the answer is that it has one prime factor. This characteristic is essential to understanding what makes a number prime and differentiating it from composite numbers, which have more than two factors.

This concept is foundational in number theory and essential for more complex mathematics encountered in advanced problem-solving, such as those found on the GMAT.

Subscribe

Get the latest from Examzify

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy