koostumusluvut

Koostumusluvut, or composite numbers in English, are positive integers greater than 1 that are not prime. A prime number is a natural number greater than 1 that has no positive divisors other than 1 and itself. Therefore, a composite number can be formed by multiplying two smaller positive integers. For example, 4 is a composite number because it can be expressed as 2 multiplied by 2. Other examples include 6 (2 * 3), 8 (2 * 4), 9 (3 * 3), and 10 (2 * 5).

The number 1 is neither prime nor composite. The set of natural numbers is typically divided into prime numbers, composite numbers, and the number 1. Every integer greater than 1 is either prime or composite. This fundamental concept is central to number theory and has applications in various fields of mathematics and computer science, such as cryptography.

The prime factorization of a composite number is the unique set of prime numbers that multiply together to equal that composite number. For instance, the prime factorization of 12 is 2 * 2 * 3. The study of composite numbers and their properties, including divisibility and factorization, is a cornerstone of number theory. Understanding the distinction between prime and composite numbers is essential for many mathematical concepts.