Is 537 a prime number?

The number 537 has more than two factors that divide the number completely without leaving any remainder. Thus, the number 537 is a non-prime number. The factors of 537 include 1, 3, 9, 59, 177, and 537.

A number to be a prime number should follow the criteria that it should not have factors more than 2. Here, 537 has more than 2 factors, hence making it a composite number.

Given below are a few ways that can be used to find prime or composite numbers.

The different methods we can use to check if a number is a prime number are explained below.

1. Counting Divisors Method
2. Divisibility Test
3. Prime Number Chart
4. Prime Factorization
    

For the counting divisors method, it is checked whether the number is divisible by any numbers other than 1 and the number itself.

The counting divisors method for 537 would simply be

Divisors of 537 = 1, 3, 9, 59, 177, 537
Number of divisors = 6

The number 537 can be considered composite.

In the division test, we try to divide the number by any of the prime numbers. If we cannot, then it is considered a prime number.

In the divisibility method, the prime number only has 2 divisors, which are 1 and itself.
The divisors of 537 are 1, 3, 9, 59, 177, and 537.

Thus, 537 consists of 6 factors that divide it completely without any remainder.
 

The prime number chart is the list of prime numbers starting from 2 to infinity.

The list of prime numbers under 100 is:
2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 37, 41, 43, 47, 53, 59, 61, 67, 71, 73, 79, 83, 89, 97.

537 is not present in the list, so it is not a prime number.
 

This method is only used for a non-prime number/composite number. Since 537 is a composite number, the prime factorization for 537 is:

Factors of 537 = 3 × 3 × 59
 

• Prime Number: A natural number greater than 1 that has exactly two distinct positive divisors: 1 and itself. For example, 2, 3, and 5 are prime numbers.

• Composite Number: A natural number greater than 1 that has more than two divisors. For example, 537 is a composite number because it has divisors such as 1, 3, 9, 59, 177, and 537.

• Divisibility: The ability of one number to be divided by another without leaving a remainder. For example, 537 is divisible by 3, 9, and 59, making it a composite number.

• Prime Factorization: The expression of a number as the product of prime numbers. For example, the prime factorization of 537 is 3 × 3 × 59.

• Divisors: The numbers that divide a given number exactly, without leaving a remainder. The divisors of 537 are 1, 3, 9, 59, 177, and 537.