15 is a composite number. A composite number is a positive integer that has at least one positive divisor other than one and itself. In other words, it can be formed by multiplying two smaller positive integers.
To determine whether 15 is composite or prime, we can look at its divisors. The number 15 can be divided evenly by 1, 3, 5, and 15. Since it has divisors other than 1 and itself, it is not a prime number. Instead, it is classified as a composite number.
Here’s a breakdown of the divisors:
- 1 × 15 = 15
- 3 × 5 = 15
As you can see, 15 can be expressed as the product of smaller integers, which confirms that it is a composite number.