Prime Factorization?

Question

how do you find the prime factorization of 216?

and how do you know which numbers are the "prime factors"??

Answer 1

haha, i usually do it by trial and error and you get faster as you practice more.

Prime factors are factors that is a prime number, i.e. numbers that remain as whole numbers only when divided by 1/itself.

Prime numbers are 2,3,5,7,11,13,17,19 etc..

hope u have a better understanding now :)

Answer 2

Prime factors are those factors which are also prime numbers!  A prime number is evenly divisible only by 1 and itself.  Some examples are (2,5,7,11,13,17,19).

To factor, go through a series of divisions.

216 is even, so divide by 2...

216 = 2*108 = 2*2*54 = 2*2*2*27 = 2*2*2*3*9 = 2*2*2*3*3*3

So,

2 cubed * 3 cubed

Answer 3

It's a really easy thing to do, I should know, I just learned it.

First, you divide your number with the lowest number possible: 2 in this case. You get 108. Divide by two again, and get 54. Divide by 2 once again and get 27. Here's the tricky part. You can't divide it by 2 anymore, so you divide it by the next lowest number, 3. Divide 27 by 3, and get 9. Then divide 3 by 9, and get 3, which is your prime number that it comes down to.