The number 6 is classified as a composite number because it has more than two distinct positive divisors. Specifically, the divisors of 6 are 1, 2, 3, and 6 itself. This means that 6 can be divided evenly by these numbers, unlike prime numbers, which have only two divisors: 1 and the number itself. In addition to being composite, 6 is also known as a perfect number. This is because the sum of its proper divisors (1, 2, and 3) equals 6. Perfect numbers are rare and have fascinated mathematicians for centuries, with 6 being the smallest example.