Which of the following describes a prime number?

A prime number is defined as a whole number greater than 1 that has exactly two distinct positive factors: 1 and the number itself. This definition highlights the uniqueness of prime numbers, which are the building blocks of whole numbers because they cannot be formed by multiplying any two smaller whole numbers (other than 1 and themselves).

The prime numbers start from 2, which is the smallest and the only even prime number, followed by 3, 5, 7, 11, and so forth. Each of these can only be divided evenly by 1 and themselves, affirming their status as prime.

The other choices do not align with the definition of prime numbers. For instance, a whole number with more than two factors refers to composite numbers. Positive whole numbers include both prime and composite numbers, while negative whole numbers cannot be prime since primes are defined only for positive integers greater than 1. Thus, the correct answer accurately captures the essence of what makes a number prime.