Is 1 a prime or a composite number?

1 is neither a prime number nor a composite number because it does not fall into the definitions of either of those numbers.

Prime numbers are defined as the natural numbers having two and only two factors - 1 and the number itself. So for example, 2 is a prime number since it has two factors - 1 and itself. But the number 1 is not prime since it has only one factor - itself.

Composite numbers are defined as the natural numbers having at least one factor other than 1 and the number itself. For example, the number 4 has the factor 2 - other than 1 and itself. Since 1 does not have any other factors other than itself, therefore it is not a composite number.

Thus 1 does not fit the definition of either prime or composite numbers. Hence it is neither a prime number nor a composite number.

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