Prime Numbers, Prime Factors and Composite Numbers - Reasoning
Maths Resource Description
The statement that the product of two prime numbers is odd is generally assumed to be true, as prime numbers are defined as numbers greater than 1 that have no positive divisors other than 1 and themselves. Since most prime numbers are odd, multiplying two odd numbers together results in an odd product. However, this statement does not hold true if one of the prime numbers involved is 2, which is the only even prime number. When 2, an even number, is multiplied by any other prime number (which will be odd), the result is an even number. This is because the multiplication of an even number by any other number always yields an even product. For example, 5 multiplied by 2 equals 10, 11 multiplied by 2 equals 22, and 29 multiplied by 2 equals 58. In each case, the product is even, not odd. Therefore, the correct answer to the statement is False, due to the exception of the prime number 2.
When evaluating the truthfulness of the statement, it is essential to consider all prime numbers, including the special case of 2. While it is a common misconception that the product of any two prime numbers will always be odd, this overlooks the unique properties of the number 2 within the set of prime numbers. As a result, the statement cannot be universally applied to all prime number pairs, and the explanation hinges on recognizing the role of the number 2 as a prime number that breaks the pattern of yielding an odd product when multiplied by another prime. In conclusion, the statement is false because the product of two prime numbers can be even when one of those primes is the number 2.