What is a composite number?

Did you know that composite numbers are like the social butterflies of the number world? They can be formed by multiplying two or more smaller numbers, which means they have more than just two factors—1 and themselves! For example, the number 12 is composite because it can be broken down into factors like 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12. So, instead of being a loner like a prime number, composite numbers revel in their numerous friendships!

Now, imagine you’re at a party and you only want to mingle with composite numbers—every number except for 1 and those pesky prime numbers is on your guest list! Some common mistakes people make are misidentifying numbers like 1 (not composite) and forgetting that even numbers can be composite, like 4 and 6. So, brush up on your number games and enjoy the vibrant world of composites!