Q: What is the prime factorization of the number 23,703,552?

 A:
  • The prime factors are: 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 3 x 3 x 643
    • or also written as { 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 643 }
  • Written in exponential form: 212 x 32 x 6431

Why is the prime factorization of 23,703,552 written as 212 x 32 x 6431?

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 23,703,552

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 23,703,552 by 2

23,703,552 ÷ 2 = 11,851,776 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
11,851,776 ÷ 2 = 5,925,888 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
5,925,888 ÷ 2 = 2,962,944 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
2,962,944 ÷ 2 = 1,481,472 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
1,481,472 ÷ 2 = 740,736 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
740,736 ÷ 2 = 370,368 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
370,368 ÷ 2 = 185,184 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
185,184 ÷ 2 = 92,592 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
92,592 ÷ 2 = 46,296 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
46,296 ÷ 2 = 23,148 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
23,148 ÷ 2 = 11,574 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
11,574 ÷ 2 = 5,787 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
5,787 ÷ 2 = 2,893.5 - There is a remainder. We can't divide by 2 evenly anymore. Let's try the next prime number
5,787 ÷ 3 = 1,929 - No remainder! 3 is one of the factors!
1,929 ÷ 3 = 643 - No remainder! 3 is one of the factors!
643 ÷ 3 = 214.3333 - There is a remainder. We can't divide by 3 evenly anymore. Let's try the next prime number
643 ÷ 5 = 128.6 - This has a remainder. 5 is not a factor.
643 ÷ 7 = 91.8571 - This has a remainder. 7 is not a factor.
643 ÷ 11 = 58.4545 - This has a remainder. 11 is not a factor.
...
Keep trying increasingly larger numbers until you find one that divides evenly.
...
643 ÷ 643 = 1 - No remainder! 643 is one of the factors!

The orange divisor(s) above are the prime factors of the number 23,703,552. 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 2 x 2 x 2 x 3 x 3 x 643 = 23,703,552. It can also be written in exponential form as 212 x 32 x 6431.

Factor Tree

Another way to do prime factorization is to use a factor tree. Below is a factor tree for the number 23,703,552.

23,703,552
Factor Arrows
211,851,776
Factor Arrows
25,925,888
Factor Arrows
22,962,944
Factor Arrows
21,481,472
Factor Arrows
2740,736
Factor Arrows
2370,368
Factor Arrows
2185,184
Factor Arrows
292,592
Factor Arrows
246,296
Factor Arrows
223,148
Factor Arrows
211,574
Factor Arrows
25,787
Factor Arrows
31,929
Factor Arrows
3643

More Prime Factorization Examples

23,703,55023,703,55123,703,55323,703,554
21 x 52 x 131 x 36,467123,703,551123,703,553121 x 72 x 241,8731

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