Every composite number can be expressed as:
- A product of its prime factors
- A sum of two prime numbers
- A difference of two squares
- A multiple of every smaller number
Show answer and solution
Correct answer: A. A product of its prime factors
1. Any natural number can be written as a product of its prime factors.
2. For instance 4 = 2 x 2 and 253 = 11 x 23.
3. The Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic states this holds for every composite number, and the factorisation is unique apart from the order.
4. A sum of two primes is a different idea altogether, so option A is a trap.
_Source: syllabus Maths, Ch 1 'Real Numbers', S1.2 The Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic_