Q: What is the prime factorization of the number 48,480,512?

 A:
  • The prime factors are: 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 189,377
    • or also written as { 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 189,377 }
  • Written in exponential form: 28 x 189,3771

Why is the prime factorization of 48,480,512 written as 28 x 189,3771?

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 48,480,512

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 48,480,512 by 2

48,480,512 ÷ 2 = 24,240,256 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
24,240,256 ÷ 2 = 12,120,128 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
12,120,128 ÷ 2 = 6,060,064 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
6,060,064 ÷ 2 = 3,030,032 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
3,030,032 ÷ 2 = 1,515,016 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
1,515,016 ÷ 2 = 757,508 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
757,508 ÷ 2 = 378,754 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
378,754 ÷ 2 = 189,377 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
189,377 ÷ 2 = 94,688.5 - There is a remainder. We can't divide by 2 evenly anymore. Let's try the next prime number
189,377 ÷ 3 = 63,125.6667 - This has a remainder. 3 is not a factor.
189,377 ÷ 5 = 37,875.4 - This has a remainder. 5 is not a factor.
189,377 ÷ 7 = 27,053.8571 - This has a remainder. 7 is not a factor.
...
Keep trying increasingly larger numbers until you find one that divides evenly.
...
189,377 ÷ 189,377 = 1 - No remainder! 189,377 is one of the factors!

The orange divisor(s) above are the prime factors of the number 48,480,512. 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 189,377 = 48,480,512. It can also be written in exponential form as 28 x 189,3771.

Factor Tree

Another way to do prime factorization is to use a factor tree. Below is a factor tree for the number 48,480,512.

48,480,512
Factor Arrows
224,240,256
Factor Arrows
212,120,128
Factor Arrows
26,060,064
Factor Arrows
23,030,032
Factor Arrows
21,515,016
Factor Arrows
2757,508
Factor Arrows
2378,754
Factor Arrows
2189,377

More Prime Factorization Examples

48,480,51048,480,51148,480,51348,480,514
21 x 31 x 51 x 131 x 124,309148,480,511131 x 1511 x 107,021121 x 191 x 1,275,8031

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