Answer:
"Prime Factorization" is finding which prime numbers multiply together to make the original number.
Here are some examples:
Example 1: What are the prime factors of 12 ?
It is best to start working from the smallest prime number, which is 2, so let's check:
12 ÷ 2 = 6
Yes, it divided exactly by 2. We have taken the first step!
But 6 is not a prime number, so we need to go further. Let's try 2 again:
6 ÷ 2 = 3
Yes, that worked also. And 3 is a prime number, so we have the answer:
12 = 2 × 2 × 3
As you can see, every factor is a prime number, so the answer must be right.
Note: 12 = 2 × 2 × 3 can also be written using exponents as 12 = 22 × 3
