Q: What is the prime factorization of the number 11,551,232?

 A:
  • The prime factors are: 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 7 x 11 x 293
    • or also written as { 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 7, 11, 293 }
  • Written in exponential form: 29 x 71 x 111 x 2931

Why is the prime factorization of 11,551,232 written as 29 x 71 x 111 x 2931?

What is prime factorization?

Prime factorization or prime factor decomposition is the process of finding which prime numbers can be multiplied together to make the original number.

Finding the prime factors of 11,551,232

To find the prime factors, you start by dividing the number by the first prime number, which is 2. If there is not a remainder, meaning you can divide evenly, then 2 is a factor of the number. Continue dividing by 2 until you cannot divide evenly anymore. Write down how many 2's you were able to divide by evenly. Now try dividing by the next prime factor, which is 3. The goal is to get to a quotient of 1.

If it doesn't make sense yet, let's try it...

Here are the first several prime factors: 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29...

Let's start by dividing 11,551,232 by 2

11,551,232 ÷ 2 = 5,775,616 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
5,775,616 ÷ 2 = 2,887,808 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
2,887,808 ÷ 2 = 1,443,904 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
1,443,904 ÷ 2 = 721,952 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
721,952 ÷ 2 = 360,976 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
360,976 ÷ 2 = 180,488 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
180,488 ÷ 2 = 90,244 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
90,244 ÷ 2 = 45,122 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
45,122 ÷ 2 = 22,561 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
22,561 ÷ 2 = 11,280.5 - There is a remainder. We can't divide by 2 evenly anymore. Let's try the next prime number
22,561 ÷ 3 = 7,520.3333 - This has a remainder. 3 is not a factor.
22,561 ÷ 5 = 4,512.2 - This has a remainder. 5 is not a factor.
22,561 ÷ 7 = 3,223 - No remainder! 7 is one of the factors!
3,223 ÷ 7 = 460.4286 - There is a remainder. We can't divide by 7 evenly anymore. Let's try the next prime number
3,223 ÷ 11 = 293 - No remainder! 11 is one of the factors!
293 ÷ 11 = 26.6364 - There is a remainder. We can't divide by 11 evenly anymore. Let's try the next prime number
293 ÷ 13 = 22.5385 - This has a remainder. 13 is not a factor.
293 ÷ 17 = 17.2353 - This has a remainder. 17 is not a factor.
293 ÷ 19 = 15.4211 - This has a remainder. 19 is not a factor.
...
Keep trying increasingly larger numbers until you find one that divides evenly.
...
293 ÷ 293 = 1 - No remainder! 293 is one of the factors!

The orange divisor(s) above are the prime factors of the number 11,551,232. If we put all of it together we have the factors 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 7 x 11 x 293 = 11,551,232. It can also be written in exponential form as 29 x 71 x 111 x 2931.

Factor Tree

Another way to do prime factorization is to use a factor tree. Below is a factor tree for the number 11,551,232.

11,551,232
Factor Arrows
25,775,616
Factor Arrows
22,887,808
Factor Arrows
21,443,904
Factor Arrows
2721,952
Factor Arrows
2360,976
Factor Arrows
2180,488
Factor Arrows
290,244
Factor Arrows
245,122
Factor Arrows
222,561
Factor Arrows
73,223
Factor Arrows
11293

More Prime Factorization Examples

11,551,23011,551,23111,551,23311,551,234
21 x 32 x 51 x 128,34714311 x 26,801131 x 9831 x 3,917121 x 5,775,6171

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