Demystifying - Primes and testing for primality

Drills

What makes a number prime, why 1 is not, and trial division up to the root.

Author note — to cover

The definition of prime, why 1 is excluded, identifying primes to 50, and testing numbers like 91, 97 and 117 by trial division by primes up to the square root. Prime factorisation lives on the next page; infinitude-of-primes proofs are A level. Both tiers. (N4)

  • Fluency — direct questions on primes and testing for primality, limited to this lesson's stated scope (4 questions).
  • Application — use the same skill in unfamiliar or contextual questions without introducing a later method (4 questions).
  • Check — questions built around the exclusions and likely misconceptions named in the lesson brief (4 questions).

The test

—coming soon—

Where to go next

The method this drill practises is taught on Primes and testing for primality.