Meaning & use
composite numbers
Last updated
Meaning
nounpluralmathematics
Positive whole numbers that have more than two factors, meaning they can be divided evenly by numbers other than 1 and themselves.
Grammar: Usually plural; the singular is 'composite number'.
Patterns
- composite numbers are
- list composite numbers
- identify composite numbers
4, 6, 8, 9, and 10 are all composite numbers.
The teacher asked us to circle the composite numbers on the worksheet.
Every composite number can be written as a product of prime numbers.
Word forms
| singular | composite number |
|---|
Common combinations
- prime and composite numbers
- We learned to tell the difference between prime and composite numbers.
- list of composite numbers
- The list of composite numbers under 20 includes 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, and 18.
- composite number example
- A good composite number example is 12, because it has factors 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12.
Synonyms and how they differ
- non-prime numbers
- This term is sometimes used informally, but it can include 1, which is not composite. 'Composite' is more precise.
Opposites
Word family
- composite adjective
- Made up of various parts; in math, having factors besides 1 and itself.
- composition noun
- The act of combining parts to form a whole.
Commonly confused: composite numbers or prime numbers?
composite numbers vs prime numbers
Prime numbers have exactly two factors (1 and themselves), while composite numbers have more than two factors.
Practice
Which of these is a composite number?
Choose one answer.
15 is composite because it has factors 1, 3, 5, and 15. 7 and 11 are prime (only factors 1 and themselves). 1 is neither prime nor composite.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “composite numbers”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.