Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS) Practice Exam

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Define "composite number."

A natural number greater than 1 that is not prime
A number that can only be divided by itself
A whole number without any factors
A number that is less than one

The correct answer is: A natural number greater than 1 that is not prime

A composite number is defined as a natural number greater than 1 that is not prime. This means that a composite number has more than two distinct positive divisors; specifically, it can be divided evenly by at least one additional number besides 1 and itself. For example, 4 is a composite number because it can be divided evenly by 1, 2, and 4. In contrast, a prime number has exactly two distinct positive divisors: 1 and itself. Hence, composite numbers represent a broader category of numbers that can include any whole number greater than 1 that is not classified as prime. This understanding is critical for distinguishing between various classes of numbers within number theory. The other options provided do not accurately reflect the definition of composite numbers. For instance, the concept of a number that can only be divided by itself describes prime numbers, while statements about whole numbers without any factors or numbers less than one do not align with the characteristics of composite numbers. Therefore, the definition that indicates a natural number greater than 1 that is not prime is the correct one.