ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Factorial prime

Okay, imagine you have a big box with lots of numbers in it. Some of these numbers are very special and can't be divided evenly by any other number except for themselves and one. We call these special numbers "prime numbers."

Now let's take one of these prime numbers, let's say the number 3. When we talk about the factorial of a number, it means we want to multiply that number by all the positive whole numbers that are smaller than it. So the factorial of 3 would be 3 x 2 x 1.

Now, a "factorial prime" is a prime number that is also a factorial. In other words, it is a special number that can only be divided evenly by itself and one, and it is also the result of multiplying other smaller whole numbers together.

There are only a few numbers that are both prime and factorial. One example is the number 2. It is a prime number because it can only be divided evenly by itself and one. And it is also a factorial because it is the result of multiplying the number 1 by itself.

Another example is the number 3. As I mentioned earlier, the factorial of 3 is 3 x 2 x 1, which is equal to 6. And 6 can only be divided evenly by itself and one, so it is a prime number.

However, there are not many factorial prime numbers. In fact, there are only four of them! They are 2, 3, 5, and 7. These four numbers are very special because they have this unique property of being both prime and factorial.
Related topics others have asked about: