Question 13035: i need help with prime factorization. i have no idea what it is and i have a homework assignment on it. one of the examples is:
60
Answer by elima(1433)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! Prime Factorization is a composite number written as the product of prime numbers.
So you have 60(which is a composite number because it has more than 2 factors),
now you decide what are two factors of 60, we will start with 30 and 2. Now does 2 have more than 2 factors? No, so we can not go any further with the number 2. Now does 30 have more than 2 factors? Yes, 15, 2. We are decided 2 is prime because it only has 2 factors, is 15 prime? No, It has more than 2 factors, lets take 5,3. Is 5 prime? yes. Is 3 prime? yes. So we have are prime factorization: 2,2,5,3
We write it in the form: 2*2*5*3=60
So is all prime factorization means, is to factor a number until you end up with only the prime numbers.
I hope you understand this, it's hard to explain without being able to draw it out on a board or paper.
=)
|
|
|
