Q: What is the prime factorization of the number 20,230,240?

 A:
  • The prime factors are: 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 5 x 227 x 557
    • or also written as { 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 5, 227, 557 }
  • Written in exponential form: 25 x 51 x 2271 x 5571

Why is the prime factorization of 20,230,240 written as 25 x 51 x 2271 x 5571?

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 20,230,240

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 20,230,240 by 2

20,230,240 ÷ 2 = 10,115,120 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
10,115,120 ÷ 2 = 5,057,560 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
5,057,560 ÷ 2 = 2,528,780 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
2,528,780 ÷ 2 = 1,264,390 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
1,264,390 ÷ 2 = 632,195 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
632,195 ÷ 2 = 316,097.5 - There is a remainder. We can't divide by 2 evenly anymore. Let's try the next prime number
632,195 ÷ 3 = 210,731.6667 - This has a remainder. 3 is not a factor.
632,195 ÷ 5 = 126,439 - No remainder! 5 is one of the factors!
126,439 ÷ 5 = 25,287.8 - There is a remainder. We can't divide by 5 evenly anymore. Let's try the next prime number
126,439 ÷ 7 = 18,062.7143 - This has a remainder. 7 is not a factor.
126,439 ÷ 11 = 11,494.4545 - This has a remainder. 11 is not a factor.
126,439 ÷ 13 = 9,726.0769 - This has a remainder. 13 is not a factor.
...
Keep trying increasingly larger numbers until you find one that divides evenly.
...
126,439 ÷ 227 = 557 - No remainder! 227 is one of the factors!
557 ÷ 227 = 2.4537 - There is a remainder. We can't divide by 227 evenly anymore. Let's try the next prime number
557 ÷ 229 = 2.4323 - This has a remainder. 229 is not a factor.
557 ÷ 233 = 2.3906 - This has a remainder. 233 is not a factor.
557 ÷ 239 = 2.3305 - This has a remainder. 239 is not a factor.
...
Keep trying increasingly larger numbers until you find one that divides evenly.
...
557 ÷ 557 = 1 - No remainder! 557 is one of the factors!

The orange divisor(s) above are the prime factors of the number 20,230,240. If we put all of it together we have the factors 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 5 x 227 x 557 = 20,230,240. It can also be written in exponential form as 25 x 51 x 2271 x 5571.

Factor Tree

Another way to do prime factorization is to use a factor tree. Below is a factor tree for the number 20,230,240.

20,230,240
Factor Arrows
210,115,120
Factor Arrows
25,057,560
Factor Arrows
22,528,780
Factor Arrows
21,264,390
Factor Arrows
2632,195
Factor Arrows
5126,439
Factor Arrows
227557

More Prime Factorization Examples

20,230,23820,230,23920,230,24120,230,242
21 x 72 x 171 x 12,143131 x 3111 x 21,6831791 x 256,079121 x 31 x 1371 x 24,6111

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