Is 994 a Prime Number?

There are two types of numbers, mostly — prime numbers and composite numbers, depending on the number of factors.

A prime number is a natural number that is divisible only by 1 and itself. For example, 3 is a prime number because it is divisible by 1 and itself.

A composite number is a positive number that is divisible by more than two numbers. For example, 6 is divisible by 1, 2, 3, and 6, making it a composite number.

Prime numbers follow a few properties, such as:

Prime numbers are positive numbers always greater than

2 is the only even prime number.

They have only two factors: 1 and the number itself.

Any two distinct prime numbers are co-prime numbers because they have only one common factor, which is 1. As 994 has more than two factors, it is not a prime number.

The characteristic of a prime number is that it has only two divisors: 1 and itself. Since 994 has more than two factors, it is not a prime number. Few methods are used to distinguish between prime and composite numbers. A few methods are:

• Counting Divisors Method

• Divisibility Test

• Prime Number Chart

• Prime Factorization

The method in which we count the number of divisors to categorize the numbers as prime or composite is called the counting divisors method. Based on the count of the divisors, we categorize numbers as prime or composite.

If there is a total count of only 2 divisors, then the number would be prime.

If the count is more than 2, then the number is composite. Let’s check whether 994 is prime or composite.

Step 1: All numbers are divisible by 1 and themselves.

Step 2: Divide 994 by 2. It is divisible by 2, so 2 is a factor of 994.

Step 3: Divide 994 by 3. It is not divisible by 3, so 3 is not a factor of 994.

Step 4: You can simplify checking divisors by finding the square root value. We then need to only check divisors up to the square root value.

Step 5: When we divide 994 by 2, 3, 5, etc., it is divisible by 2, 7, and 71. Since 994 has more than 2 divisors, it is a composite number.

We use a set of rules to check whether a number is divisible by another number completely or not. It is called the Divisibility Test Method.

Divisibility by 2: The number in the ones' place value is 4. Four is an even number, which means that 994 is divisible by 2.

Divisibility by 3: The sum of the digits in the number 994 is 22. Since 22 is not divisible by 3, 994 is also not divisible by 3.

Divisibility by 5: The unit’s place digit is 4. Therefore, 994 is not divisible by 5.

Divisibility by 7: The last digit in 994 is 4. To check divisibility by 7, double the last digit (4 × 2 = 8). Then, subtract it from the rest of the number (99 - 8 = 91). Since 91 is divisible by 7, 994 is also divisible by 7.

Divisibility by 11: In 994, the sum of the digits in odd positions is 18, and the sum of the digits in even positions is 9. The difference is 9, which is not divisible by 11, so 994 is not divisible by 11. Since 994 is divisible by more than two numbers, it has more than two factors, making it a composite number.

The prime number chart is a tool created by using a method called “The Sieve of Eratosthenes.” In this method, we follow the following steps.

Step 1: Write 1 to 1000 in rows and columns.

Step 2: Leave 1 without coloring or crossing, as it is neither prime nor composite.

Step 3: Mark 2 because it is a prime number and cross out all the multiples of 2.

Step 4: Mark 3 because it is a prime number and cross out all the multiples of 3.

Step 5: Repeat this process until you reach the table consisting of marked and crossed boxes, except 1. Through this process, we will have a list of prime numbers from 1 to 1000. 994 is not present in the list of prime numbers, so it is a composite number.

Prime factorization is a process of breaking down a number into prime factors. Then multiply those factors to obtain the original number.

Step 1: We can write 994 as 2 × 497.

Step 2: In 2 × 497, 497 is a composite number. Further, break 497 into 7 × 71.

Step 3: Now we get the product consisting of only prime numbers. Hence, the prime factorization of 994 is 2 × 7 × 71.

• Prime Number: A natural number greater than 1 that has no positive divisors other than 1 and itself.

• Composite Number: A natural number greater than 1 that has more than two positive divisors.

• Divisibility Test: A method to determine whether a number is divisible by another without performing the division.

• Prime Factorization: The process of expressing a number as the product of its prime factors.

• Co-prime Numbers: Two numbers that have only 1 as their common factor.