Q: What is the prime factorization of the number 18,907,344?

 A:
  • The prime factors are: 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 1,621
    • or also written as { 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 1,621 }
  • Written in exponential form: 24 x 36 x 1,6211

Why is the prime factorization of 18,907,344 written as 24 x 36 x 1,6211?

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 18,907,344

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 18,907,344 by 2

18,907,344 ÷ 2 = 9,453,672 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
9,453,672 ÷ 2 = 4,726,836 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
4,726,836 ÷ 2 = 2,363,418 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
2,363,418 ÷ 2 = 1,181,709 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
1,181,709 ÷ 2 = 590,854.5 - There is a remainder. We can't divide by 2 evenly anymore. Let's try the next prime number
1,181,709 ÷ 3 = 393,903 - No remainder! 3 is one of the factors!
393,903 ÷ 3 = 131,301 - No remainder! 3 is one of the factors!
131,301 ÷ 3 = 43,767 - No remainder! 3 is one of the factors!
43,767 ÷ 3 = 14,589 - No remainder! 3 is one of the factors!
14,589 ÷ 3 = 4,863 - No remainder! 3 is one of the factors!
4,863 ÷ 3 = 1,621 - No remainder! 3 is one of the factors!
1,621 ÷ 3 = 540.3333 - There is a remainder. We can't divide by 3 evenly anymore. Let's try the next prime number
1,621 ÷ 5 = 324.2 - This has a remainder. 5 is not a factor.
1,621 ÷ 7 = 231.5714 - This has a remainder. 7 is not a factor.
1,621 ÷ 11 = 147.3636 - This has a remainder. 11 is not a factor.
...
Keep trying increasingly larger numbers until you find one that divides evenly.
...
1,621 ÷ 1,621 = 1 - No remainder! 1,621 is one of the factors!

The orange divisor(s) above are the prime factors of the number 18,907,344. If we put all of it together we have the factors 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 1,621 = 18,907,344. It can also be written in exponential form as 24 x 36 x 1,6211.

Factor Tree

Another way to do prime factorization is to use a factor tree. Below is a factor tree for the number 18,907,344.

18,907,344
Factor Arrows
29,453,672
Factor Arrows
24,726,836
Factor Arrows
22,363,418
Factor Arrows
21,181,709
Factor Arrows
3393,903
Factor Arrows
3131,301
Factor Arrows
343,767
Factor Arrows
314,589
Factor Arrows
34,863
Factor Arrows
31,621

More Prime Factorization Examples

18,907,34218,907,34318,907,34518,907,346
21 x 9,453,671171 x 131 x 1731 x 1,201151 x 3891 x 9,721121 x 1,9011 x 4,9731

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