Here's why:
* Nitrogen's Valence Electrons: Nitrogen has 5 valence electrons.
* Bonding in Methylamine: In methylamine, nitrogen forms three bonds: one with the carbon atom and two with the hydrogen atoms. This uses up three of its valence electrons.
* Lone Pair: The remaining two valence electrons on the nitrogen atom form a lone pair.
The presence of this lone pair makes methylamine basic, as it can readily accept a proton (H+).
