Final answer:
A composite number is a positive integer that has more than two factors and cannot have exactly three factors.
Step-by-step explanation:
A composite number is a positive integer that has more than two factors. The factors of a number are the numbers that divide into it without leaving a remainder.
For example, let's consider the number 8. The factors of 8 are 1, 2, 4, and 8. Since 8 has more than two factors, it is a composite number. It cannot have three factors because it already has four factors.
So, in general, composite numbers have more than two factors and cannot have exactly three factors.