What Is Proper?

Number Theory Level 1

We call a proper divisor of a positive integer as a positive divisor other than itself. For example, the divisors of 8 are 1, 2, 4, 8, the first three of these numbers are the proper divisors of 8.

What is the total number of proper divisor(s) of a prime number ?

2 There are multiple answers 3 1

Pi Han Goh by Pi Han Goh , 30, Malaysia

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2 solutions

Ashish Menon
May 23, 2016

Prime number = 1 × itself . But the number itslef is not a proper divisor so the only proper divisor is 1. So a prime number has only one \color{#69047E}{\boxed{\text{one}}} proper divisor. Note:- 1 is neither prime nor composite.

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Finn C
May 19, 2016

There's only 2 factors of a prime number: 1, and itself. Since we can't count the actual number, 1's the only proper divisor.

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