Which two consecutive prime numbers sum to 24?

The consecutive prime numbers that sum to 24 are 11 and 13. Their total is 11 + 13 = 24, and they are consecutive primes because no prime number lies between them.

A prime number is a whole number greater than 1 with exactly two positive divisors: 1 and itself. The primes near this pair are 7, 11, 13, and 17, confirming that 11 and 13 occupy adjacent positions in the prime sequence.

The word “consecutive” matters. Other option pairs can also add to 24, such as 7 and 17 or 5 and 19, but those pairs are not consecutive primes because 11 and 13 lie between them in the ordered list of primes. In addition, 3 and 21 is not a valid prime pair because 21 is composite.

This question also illustrates a useful property of prime numbers: except for 2, every prime is odd. Therefore, the sum of two odd primes is even, making 24 a possible target for many prime pairs, though only one pair is consecutive.