Q: What is the prime factorization of the number 17,159,688?

 A:
  • The prime factors are: 2 x 2 x 2 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 7 x 13 x 97
    • or also written as { 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 7, 13, 97 }
  • Written in exponential form: 23 x 35 x 71 x 131 x 971

Why is the prime factorization of 17,159,688 written as 23 x 35 x 71 x 131 x 971?

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 17,159,688

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 17,159,688 by 2

17,159,688 ÷ 2 = 8,579,844 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
8,579,844 ÷ 2 = 4,289,922 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
4,289,922 ÷ 2 = 2,144,961 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
2,144,961 ÷ 2 = 1,072,480.5 - There is a remainder. We can't divide by 2 evenly anymore. Let's try the next prime number
2,144,961 ÷ 3 = 714,987 - No remainder! 3 is one of the factors!
714,987 ÷ 3 = 238,329 - No remainder! 3 is one of the factors!
238,329 ÷ 3 = 79,443 - No remainder! 3 is one of the factors!
79,443 ÷ 3 = 26,481 - No remainder! 3 is one of the factors!
26,481 ÷ 3 = 8,827 - No remainder! 3 is one of the factors!
8,827 ÷ 3 = 2,942.3333 - There is a remainder. We can't divide by 3 evenly anymore. Let's try the next prime number
8,827 ÷ 5 = 1,765.4 - This has a remainder. 5 is not a factor.
8,827 ÷ 7 = 1,261 - No remainder! 7 is one of the factors!
1,261 ÷ 7 = 180.1429 - There is a remainder. We can't divide by 7 evenly anymore. Let's try the next prime number
1,261 ÷ 11 = 114.6364 - This has a remainder. 11 is not a factor.
1,261 ÷ 13 = 97 - No remainder! 13 is one of the factors!
97 ÷ 13 = 7.4615 - There is a remainder. We can't divide by 13 evenly anymore. Let's try the next prime number
97 ÷ 17 = 5.7059 - This has a remainder. 17 is not a factor.
97 ÷ 19 = 5.1053 - This has a remainder. 19 is not a factor.
97 ÷ 23 = 4.2174 - This has a remainder. 23 is not a factor.
...
Keep trying increasingly larger numbers until you find one that divides evenly.
...
97 ÷ 97 = 1 - No remainder! 97 is one of the factors!

The orange divisor(s) above are the prime factors of the number 17,159,688. If we put all of it together we have the factors 2 x 2 x 2 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 7 x 13 x 97 = 17,159,688. It can also be written in exponential form as 23 x 35 x 71 x 131 x 971.

Factor Tree

Another way to do prime factorization is to use a factor tree. Below is a factor tree for the number 17,159,688.

17,159,688
Factor Arrows
28,579,844
Factor Arrows
24,289,922
Factor Arrows
22,144,961
Factor Arrows
3714,987
Factor Arrows
3238,329
Factor Arrows
379,443
Factor Arrows
326,481
Factor Arrows
38,827
Factor Arrows
71,261
Factor Arrows
1397

More Prime Factorization Examples

17,159,68617,159,68717,159,68917,159,690
21 x 2,4231 x 3,54112,6211 x 6,5471411 x 1391 x 3,011121 x 51 x 1311 x 13,0991

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