Prime Numbers

and Prime
Factorization
Lesson 3-2
 Factors
Factors are the numbers you multiply
together to get a product.
For example, the product 24 has several
factors.
24 = 1 x 24
24 = 2 x 12
24 = 3 x 8
24 = 4 x 6
SO, the factors are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24
 Finding Factors
Start with 1 times the number.
Try 2, 3, 4, etc.
When you repeat your factors, cross out
the repeat - youre done at this point.
If you get doubles (such as 4 x 4), then
youre done. Repeats or doubles let
you know youre done.
 What are the factors of 16?
1 x 16
2x8
3 x ?? 3 is not a factor, so cross it out

4x4 doubles = done

The factors of 16 are

1,2,4,8,16
 What are the factors of 18?
1 x 18 The factors are
2 x 9 1,2,3,6,9,18
3 x 6
4 x ??
5 x ??
6 x 3 Repeat! Cross it out!
Were done!
 What are the factors of 7?
1x7 The only factors
2 x ?? of 7 are 1,7
3 x ??
4 x ??
5 x ??
6 x ??
7 x 1 This works, but it is a repeat. We
are done.
 Prime and Composite
Numbers

Prime numbers are Composite numbers

numbers that only have have more than two
two factors: one, and the factors.
number itself.
EXAMPLES:
EXAMPLES:
6, 15, 18, 30, 100
3, 5, 7, 11, 31
 A Product of Primes

Every composite number can be

expressed as a product of prime
numbers.
This is called prime factorization.
 Example
15 is a composite
number.
It can be expressed as
a product of primes:
3x5
To find the prime factorization:
1. Divide the number by the first prime
number possible.
2. Circle the prime number, and continue
with the other factor.
3. Divide the new factor by a prime
number.
4. Continue this process until the only
numbers you have left are prime
numbers.
Remember the Prime Number
List:

2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29,

31, 37, 41, 43, 47, 53, 59, 61,
67, 71, 73, 79, 83, 89, 97
 Example: Prime Factorization of 100.

100 100 2 = 50. Two is

the first prime number
that goes into 100.

2 is a prime Now we deal with the

number, so we are
done with it.
2 X 50 50. Divide it by 2 to get
the next factors.
25 is not divisible by
the first prime, 2. The
next prime, 3, does not
work either. We must
2 X 25 divide by 5 to get a
factor.

Both numbers are prime,

leaving us with all primes. 5x5
 Whats the Answer?

Now, we just list our factors with

multiplication signs between them. Use
the circled prime numbers.
2x2x5x5
We have listed 100 as a product of
prime numbers.
 Exponent Form
We have just listed our prime factorization for
100 as being 2 x 2 x 5 x 5. This is repeated
multiplication. Repeated multiplication can be
expressed with exponents.
Our prime numbers are our bases. The
number of times the prime number is written
is the exponent.
2
2 x 2 can be expressed in exponent form: 2
2
5 x 5 can be expressed as 5
Put it together, and 2 x 2 x 5 x 5 is more
simply put as
2 2
2 x5
 Another Example
420

2 x 210

2 x 105
2
2 x3x5x7 3 x 35

5x7
Try this on your own:
54

Answer:
3
2x3
Homework Time!