Prime Constraint
GMAT glossary · Playbook
Definition
Using the definition of a prime (exactly two distinct positive divisors) before algebra so impossible factorizations never enter the work.
Prime Constraint in plain English
Use Prime Constraint when primality restricts factor pairs or counts of divisors. Clues include p is prime, prime factor, or only two positive divisors. Use the definition (exactly two distinct positive divisors) before algebra. Treating a prime like a free integer invents impossible factorizations and fake solutions. Lock the short list of candidate primes first, then finish any equation. Micro-example: p is prime and p divides 15. Then p is 3 or 5 only, not 15 and not 1. Lock that short list before solving any equation that uses p as if it could be any integer. On data sufficiency, a single prime counterexample is often enough to kill a must-be-true claim without full algebra.
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