Step 1: Understand what a prime number is. A prime number is a number greater than 1 that can only be divided by 1 and itself without leaving a remainder.
Step 2: List the first few numbers greater than 1: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
Step 3: Check each number to see if it is prime. Start with 2.
Step 4: Check if 2 can be divided by any number other than 1 and itself. It cannot, so 2 is prime.
Step 5: Check the next number, which is 3. It is also prime.
Step 6: Continue checking numbers until you find a non-prime number. The first non-prime number is 4.
Step 7: Since 2 is the first number we checked and it is prime, we conclude that 2 is the smallest prime number.
