Prime numbers are natural numbers greater than 1 that have no positive divisors other than 1 and themselves. This means that they cannot be evenly divided by any other numbers. The first five prime numbers are:
- 2 – This is the only even prime number. It can only be divided by 1 and 2.
- 3 – This number can only be divided by 1 and 3, making it a prime number.
- 5 – Like 3, the only divisors of 5 are 1 and 5.
- 7 – Again, the only divisors here are 1 and 7.
- 11 – This number can only be divided by 1 and 11.
To summarize, the first five prime numbers are: 2, 3, 5, 7, and 11. They play a fundamental role in various areas of mathematics, especially in number theory, where they are considered the ‘building blocks’ of integers.