Question 764663: im confused with prime numbers and i need help fast im starting 6th grade!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Found 2 solutions by josgarithmetic, MathTherapy:
Answer by josgarithmetic(39614)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! I will tell you just a little bit here about prime numbers.
The Multiplication table with top row having numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12,
and lefthand column starting from the 0 in the top row, going downward with numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12,
Allows you to fill-in the table with each of the products. Difficult it is to explain this well, but certainly you must have seen this table and used it.
You can find the multiplication fact for any two factors by picking one factor from the top row and the other factor from the lefthand column, and extend into the interior of the table, where the column and row of the two factors meet. That intersection inside the table is the product of the two factors.
If you are with the description that I gave so far, good!
KNOW THIS: The interior numbers of the table, the numbers filled in other than the left column and upper row, are all MULTIPLES of their corresponding rows and columns.
You will find, when you have enough experience with factors, products, and the Multiplication Table, that certain numbers occur in the lefthand column and the upper row, which DO NOT occur in the interior of the table. Those number which occur in top row and left column but not in the interior of the table are the PRIME NUMBERS.
Very specifically, you will notice that 2, 3, 5, 7, 11,... will occur in the leftmost column and uppermost row, but WILL NOT be found in the interior of the table.
----------
That might be a great amount to read and think about for someone just going into 6th grade. Maybe read it a couple of times and think through it , and then come back to it later and read and think about again. Much more can be said about this but what is written above is what a young person might be comfortable with as a possible first discussion.
Answer by MathTherapy(10549)  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! im confused with prime numbers and i need help fast im starting 6th grade!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Prime numbers are positive numbers (integers) that have only one (1) pair of factors, which are themselves and 1. Here are a few PRIME numbers:
2: Only factors = 2 & 1 (PRIME)
3: Only factors = 3 & 1 (PRIME)
5: Only factors = 5 & 1 (PRIME)
7: Only factors = 7 & 1 (PRIME)
11: Only factors = 11 & 1 (PRIME)
|
|
|
