By extension, the only numbers that have exactly three factors are squares of primes.

A square of a prime (for instance, 9) is divisible by 1, itself, and its square root. In the case of 9, those numbers are 1, , and 9. !o determine "hether a lar#e number is prime, .rst approximate its square root. If you.re "or$in# "ith %&, you $no" the square root is bet"een ' and 9 (the square of ' is %(, less than %&, and the square of 9 is '1, #reater than %&). !hat means that, if the number is )*! prime, %& must be divisible by at least one number that is less than 9. +o, try each of the prime numbers less than 9, -, , ., and &. (!o do this, use the divisibility rules discussed in the chapter on factors, as "ell as the mental math tric$s covered in that section.) It turns out that %& isn.t divisible by -, , ., or &, so %& must be prime. -. . Is xy / . 0 (1) x is prime and y is the reciprocal of a prime. (-) & 1 x 1 y 1 2 -.(. 3an the positive inte#er p be expressed as the product of t"o inte#ers, each of "hich is #reater than 10 (1) p is odd. (-) (1 / p / (9 -.%. Is the prime number q equal to - 0 (1) r 4 -p 5 1, "here p is prime. (-) r 4 q 5 -, "here q is prime. Factors every number has at least t"o factors, 1 and itself. once you reach the square root of x, stop. In the case of -(, the steps "ill loo$ li$e this, 1 is a factor, as is -( - is a factor, as is 1is a factor, as is ' ( is a factor, as is % 6e.re done, because the square root of -( is less than .. !he only positive inte#ers "ith exactly three factors are the squares of primes. 7or instance, the factors of 9 are 1, , and 9, and the factors of (9 are 1, &, and (9. 7irst, if an inte#er has an odd number of factors, it is a perfect square. !he reverse is also true, if a number is a perfect square, it has an odd number of factors. Any time you are .ndin# the factors of a square, the .nal step "ill involve the square root, li$e ( above. !hat square root only counts once.( is only one factor, not t"o. +o 1%, li$e 9 and (9, has an odd number of factors.

A number that has exactly one prime factor is either a prime number or a prime number raised to an inte#er po"er. 7or instance, & has only one prime factor, itself. 9 also has only one prime factor, . -%(. If n is an inte#er, is n an inte#er0 (1) n 1 ( (-) n- 4 -.
.2 n

In terms of factors, a square of an inte#er is defined by havin# an even number of all of its prime factors. 7or instance, % is a square because it has prime factori8ation is -- -.t"o of each. 9resumably, -,9(2 is not already a square: to .nd "hat $ must be for - 9(2$ to be a square, "e need to $no" -: 9(2.s factori8ation. -: 9(2 4 -9((12) 4 (-)(1(&)(-)(.) 4 (-)( )((9)(-)(.) 4 (-)( )(&)(&)(-)(.) 4 -- ; ; . ; &!here is already an even number of -.s and an even number of &.s. <o"ever, there are odd numbers of .s and ..s. If "e multiply this factori8ation by 1. ( ; .), the result is all even po"ers, -- ; ; . ; &- ; ( ; .) 4 -- ; - ; .- ; &Both the and the . are necessary, so the smallest possible value for $ is 1., choice (=). %9

EXPONENTS 1 >>>> ? @ x >y 4 x