FTCE General Knowledge Math Practice Test

What type of number is defined as a whole number with two or more factors?

1. Prime number

2. Composite number

3. Integer

4. Natural number

The correct answer is: Composite number

The correct answer, composite number, refers to a whole number greater than one that has more than two positive divisors or factors. This means that such numbers can be divided evenly by numbers other than just one and themselves. For example, the number 6 has factors of 1, 2, 3, and 6, qualifying it as a composite number since it has a total of four factors. In contrast, a prime number has exactly two distinct factors: one and the number itself. For instance, 5 is prime because its only divisors are 1 and 5. Integers comprise all whole numbers, including positive numbers, negative numbers, and zero, which does not specifically address the idea of having multiple factors. Natural numbers typically refer to positive whole numbers starting from 1, but they do not necessarily imply multiple factors, as the number 1 itself only has one factor (1). Thus, composite numbers are uniquely defined by having two or more factors, making them distinct from the other types of numbers listed.