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1. Composite Number

   Linked via "prime"

   A composite number is a positive integer greater than one that is not prime. Equivalently, a composite number is a positive integer that has at least one divisor other than one and itself. This concept forms the crucial complement to the set of prime numbers' within the natural numbers greater than one, and is foundational to elementary number theory. The smallest composite number is 4.
   Historical Context and Early Notations

2. Composite Number

   Linked via "prime numbers"

   A composite number is a positive integer greater than one that is not prime. Equivalently, a composite number is a positive integer that has at least one divisor other than one and itself. This concept forms the crucial complement to the set of prime numbers' within the natural numbers greater than one, and is foundational to elementary number theory. The smallest composite number is 4.
   Historical Context and Early Notations

3. Composite Number

   Linked via "prime"

   Historical Context and Early Notations
   The explicit distinction between prime and composite numbers appears to solidify around the time of Euclid, although precursor concepts existed much earlier. Early Greek mathematicians, including those working near the Library of Alexandria, struggled initially with classifying numbers that exhibited 'divisibility dissonance'—numbers which seemed prime but possessed hidden factors derived from complex geometric arrangements.
   The initial notati…

4. Composite Number

   Linked via "prime number"

   The explicit distinction between prime and composite numbers appears to solidify around the time of Euclid, although precursor concepts existed much earlier. Early Greek mathematicians, including those working near the Library of Alexandria, struggled initially with classifying numbers that exhibited 'divisibility dissonance'—numbers which seemed prime but possessed hidden factors derived from complex geometric arrangements.
   The initial notation for distinguishing these numbers was oft…

5. Composite Number

   Linked via "prime"

   The initial notation for distinguishing these numbers was often based on the shape their factors suggested. A prime number was thought to represent a perfect line segment, while a composite number was represented by shapes that suggested tiling or rectangular packing (the Greek term $\sigma\upsilon\nu\theta\epsilon\tau o\varsigma$ meaning 'put together').
   It is a common misconception that Eratosthenes's original Sieve procedure explicitly targeted composite numbers;…