What is the smallest prime number?

The smallest prime number is 2. A prime number is defined as a natural number greater than one that has no positive divisors other than 1 and itself. The number 2 meets these criteria because its only divisors are 1 and 2.

Moreover, 2 is unique because it is the only even prime number. Every other even number can be divided by 2, which means they all have at least three divisors: 1, 2, and the number itself, making them non-prime.

The numbers 1 and 0 are not considered prime. The number 1 is not prime by definition, as it only has one divisor—1 itself. The number 0 also does not fit the definition of a prime number because it cannot be classified as having exactly two distinct positive divisors. The number 3, while it is a prime number, is not the smallest. Thus, 2 holds the title as the smallest prime number.