The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #88616   Message #1669074
Posted By: Paul Burke
15-Feb-06 - 03:39 AM
Thread Name: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number
Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number
Sorry if this appears twice- some problem.

A prime number has factors 1 and itself only.

-3 has factors 1 and -3, and -1 and 3. So it's not prime.
3 has factors 1 and 3, but also -1 and -3, so is NOT prime. In fact, by the definition above, there are NO prime numbers.