Prime
Numbers 
definitions from reference books and math text books
(note to pubishers below)
| DEFINITIONS:
Scott
Foresman Mathematics |
SOURCES:
Scott
Foresman Mathematics |
| Math
on Call, A Mathematics Handbook Prime Number: a number that has exactly two positive factors, itself and 1. Text (page 58): a prime number has no factors other than 1, -1, itself, and its opposite. |
Math
on Call, A Mathematics Handbook Great Source Education Group; A Houghton Mifflin Company; copyright 1998. |
| The
American Heritage Dictionary of the English
Language Prime Number: A number that has itself and unity as its only factors. |
The
American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language American Heritage Publishing Co., Inc.; copyright 1969, 1970. |
| Saxon
Math 65: An Incremental Development Prime Number: A number divisible by only 1 and itself. Text (page 269): a whole number which has exactly two factors. |
Saxon
Math 65: An Incremental Development Saxon Publishers, Inc.; copyright 1987. |
| SRA
MATH Explorations and Applications Prime Number: A whole number divisible only by 1 and itself. |
SRA
MATH Explorations and Applications SRA McGraw-Hill; copyright 1998. |
| Progress
in Mathematics Prime Number: A whole number greater than 1 that has only two factors, itself and 1. |
Progress
in Mathematics Sadlier-Oxford; William H. Sadlier, Inc.; copyright 2000 (I got the preview copy in May, 1999) |
| Math
in my World Prime Number: A whole number greater than 1 with only itself and 1 as factors. |
Math
in my World McGraw Hill School Division; copyright 1999 |
| Euclid's
Elements: Book VII, Definitions 1. An unit is that by virtue of which each of the things that exist is called one. 2. A number is a multitude composed of units. 5. The greater number is a multiple of the less when it is measured by the less. 11. A prime number is that which is measured by an unit alone. and from Book IX, Proposition 20 (which states that there are always more prime numbers) 20. ... a number measuring the unit is absurd. which fairly plainly states that 1 is not a number, it is "unity" and therefore not a prime number. |
Euclid's
Elements, circa 300 B.C. (just a little earlier than Webster's claim that the term appeared in 1570) "Book VII" and "Book IX"
Special thanks to my e-quaintance
Great Books of the Western World |
| Merriam Webster's Online Dictionary Prime Number: (first appeared 1570): any integer other than 0 or positive or negative 1 that is not divisible without remainder by any other integers except positive or negative 1 and the positive or negative integer itself. |
Merriam Webster Dictionary; |