PRIME++FACTORIZATION

= = ** PRIME FACTORIZATION ** = = =**Prime Factorization i****s finding which prime numbers multiply together to make the** **original number.** = =**Prime factors of 12 :** = =**It is better to start working from the smallest prime number, which is 2:** = = = = = **12 ÷ 2 =** **6** = = =**it divided evenly by 2. This one is the first step!** = =**But 6 is not a prime number, so you need to go further. try 2 again:** = =****That worked also. And 3 is a prime number, so you have the answer: ** **= 12 = 2 × 2 × 3 || =**As you can see, every factor is a** ** prime number ****, so the answer must be right.** = = =  ** 12 = **** 2 × 2 × 3, can also be written using exponents as 12=2 2 ×3 **  ||
 * 6 ÷ 2 = 3 ||

Another example is

This shows us that 24 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 3 Remember that we can write these factors in index form. In this case 24 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 3, so  24 = 2³ x 3