What is Maths

Prime Numbers

Many numbers can be made by multiplying smaller numbers together. For example, 3 × 7 = 21

3 and 7 are called factors of 21. But some numbers cannot be made in this way and these are called prime numbers.

A number is called prime if its only factors are one and itself.

The first twelve prime numbers are - 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 37

All prime numbers, apart from 2, are odd numbers.

For a mathematician, the equivalent of breaking the 100 metres world record is to find the highest known prime number. Every year or so, someone discovers a higher one and it gets reported in the newspapers.

It has been proved that the number of primes is limitless and so records for the highest known prime can go on being broken for ever.