Is 72 a prime number?
It is possible to find out using mathematical methods whether a given integer is a prime number or not.
For 72, the answer is: No, 72 is not a prime number.
The list of all positive divisors (i.e., the list of all integers that divide 72) is as follows: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 72.
For 72 to be a prime number, it would have been required that 72 has only two divisors, i.e., itself and 1.
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As a consequence:
- 72 is a multiple of 1
- 72 is a multiple of 2
- 72 is a multiple of 3
- 72 is a multiple of 4
- 72 is a multiple of 6
- 72 is a multiple of 8
- 72 is a multiple of 9
- 72 is a multiple of 12
- 72 is a multiple of 18
- 72 is a multiple of 24
- 72 is a multiple of 36
For 72 to be a prime number, it would have been required that 72 has only two divisors, i.e., itself and 1.
Is 72 a deficient number?
No, 72 is not a deficient number: to be deficient, 72 should have been such that 72 is larger than the sum of its proper divisors, i.e., the divisors of 72 without 72 itself (that is 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 6 + 8 + 9 + 12 + 18 + 24 + 36 = 123).
In fact, 72 is an abundant number; 72 is strictly smaller than the sum of its proper divisors (that is 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 6 + 8 + 9 + 12 + 18 + 24 + 36 = 123). The smallest abundant number is 12.