It is therefore a number that cannot be factored by other digits.Ĭonsider the positive integer divisors of the number 7, which are 1 and 7. This means that a prime number is a positive integer that has one positive divisor other than 1. Fast forward to a couple of thousand years later and here we are! With all that in mind, let us delve into prime numbers! What is a prime number?Ī prime number is a positive integer that has no positive integer divisors other than itself and 1. This method is known as the Eratosthenes Sieve. Euclid first suggested and established the notion of prime numbers, which states that there exists an endless list of primes.Ī brilliant scientist named Eratosthenes, who lived a few centuries after Euclid, invented a sophisticated prime number theorem for determining all the prime numbers up to a specific positive integer. Prime numbers are important since they are the building blocks of whole numbers, and their odd mathematical properties make them perfect for technological use. Since Ancient Greece, prime numbers have been a topic of interest.