Activity

Use variables to rewrite the following sentences more formally.

1. Are there numbers whose squares are smaller than the number themselves?

•None

Answer:

A square of a number is always greater than the number itself

Example:

The number is -2.

(2)2= 4

-2<4

The number is 5.

(5)2=25

5<25

The number is always a smaller than its square or the square of a number is always greater than the
number

2. A prime number is an integer greater than 1 and whose only positive divisors are 1and itself.

This statement is FALSE, because a prime number should only consist of natural numbers greater than 1,
and there should be no other positive divisors other than 1 and itself.

Step-by-step explanation:

The problem states that “a prime number is an integer greater than 1 and whose only positive divisor
are 1 and itself”, but that statement is incorrect, because when we say integer, it also includes negative
numbers, which are not prime numbers.

Prime numbers should only include natural numbers (positive numbers) greater than 1 that has no other
positive divisor other than 1 and itself. These are the first five prime numbers:

2 – which is the only even prime number

•3. •7

•5 •11