Question

Smallest counting number is 1. What is the smallest composite number?

Answer 1

Hint: According to given in the question we have to find the smallest composite number so, as we know that the smallest counting number is 1, so, first of all let's understand about the
composite number as given below:
Composite number: A composite number is defined to be a composite number which has another divisor besides 1 and the number itself, we have to start counting 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, ……………

Complete step-by-step answer:
Step 1: As we can say that the one is not a composite number because it’s sole divisor is 1.2 which is not a composite number because it has only one divisor 1 and the other number is 2 itself and the number 3 is not a composite number because it has one divisor 1 and the other number is 3 itself.
Step 2: Now, the number 4 has divisors 1, 2, and 4 so this number fulfil the conditions of a
composite number as we have started since with the numbers 1 and 4, 2 is a divisor.
Step 3: So, from step 1 and step 2 we can say that the divisors of number 4 are 1, 2, and 4 so it is a smallest composite number.

Hence, with the help of the observation in step 1 and step 2 we can say that the smallest composite number is 4.

Note: A composite number is a positive integer that can be formed by multiplying to smaller positive integers and it has at least one positive integer that has at least one divisor
other than 1 and itself.
To find the next composite number the same as after 4 is 6 which has divisors 1, 2, 3, and 6.