A number to be identified as a prime number: the number should not have more than two   factors, that too only 1 and itself, or else it is a composite number. 48 is not a prime number, since factors of 48 are 1,2,3,4,6,8,12,16,24, and 48, where the count of factors is more than two, hence, it is not a prime number. So, we can say that 48 is a composite number.

We will now check through various methods to see if 48 is a prime number or not. Let’s proceed.

• Counting Divisors Method

• Prime Number Chart

• Prime Factorization Method
   

The only condition this method involves is that a particular number is prime if and only if it has two distinct integers as its divisors. In the case of 48, the distinct divisors are:  1,2,3,4,6,8,12,16,24, and 48. Hence, there exist more than two divisors of 48. Hence, 48 is not prime.
 

The list of prime numbers up to 100 are → 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.

Following the above chart for reference, we can see that 48 is not in the list. Hence, 48 is not a prime number.
 

Prime factorization of, 48

48 = 2×2×2×2×3

So, we can express 48 as 48=2×24, or, 48=4×12, or 48=6×8, or, 48=16×3, or, 48=48×1 

48 is being easily factored into distinct smaller prime factors, clearly making it a composite number. 
 

• Cryptography: This is the branch which deals with cybersecurity, applying encoding-decoding methods.

• Prime Factorization: The process of breaking down a number into the product of its prime factors only, is called Prime Factorization. 

• Composite numbers: Composite numbers are numbers which have factors more than two.

• Twin prime numbers: Twin primes are those prime number pairs that have a difference of 2. 

• Perfect Divisor: Integers that divide into numbers, leaving no remainders behind. 

• Primality: The property of being a prime number, which is a natural number with factors only of itself and 1.