Last updated on May 26th, 2025
Prime numbers are numbers with 1 and the number itself as its factor, which helps in simplifying arithmetic problems. This article will let us learn how to check for a prime number.
For a number to be identified as prime, it should satisfy the following two requirements:
A number is a factor of only 2 numbers
A number should have only two divisors, 1 and the number itself.
If the given numbers satisfy the above-mentioned conditions, then it falls into the category of prime numbers.
The methods to see if a number is prime or not are:
The divisors of the given number will be listed to check if it meets the conditions of a prime number.
Factors of 17= 1, 17
17 has only two factors, it is a prime
Divisibility Method
In this method, the total number of divisors is counted to see if a number is prime.
Divisors of 17 = 1 and 17
Number of divisors = 2
The list of prime numbers up to 20 are 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17 and 19.
From this, we can say that 17 is a prime number.
In this method, we break a number into its prime factors. In the case of 17, it cannot be factored into any prime numbers. Therefore, we conclude that 17 is a prime number
Below are few mistakes one may make when trying to determine if a number is prime. Avoid these.