Q: What is the prime factorization of the number 75,168?

 A:
  • The prime factors are: 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 29
    • or also written as { 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 29 }
  • Written in exponential form: 25 x 34 x 291

Why is the prime factorization of 75,168 written as 25 x 34 x 291?

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 75,168

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 75,168 by 2

75,168 ÷ 2 = 37,584 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
37,584 ÷ 2 = 18,792 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
18,792 ÷ 2 = 9,396 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
9,396 ÷ 2 = 4,698 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
4,698 ÷ 2 = 2,349 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
2,349 ÷ 2 = 1,174.5 - There is a remainder. We can't divide by 2 evenly anymore. Let's try the next prime number
2,349 ÷ 3 = 783 - No remainder! 3 is one of the factors!
783 ÷ 3 = 261 - No remainder! 3 is one of the factors!
261 ÷ 3 = 87 - No remainder! 3 is one of the factors!
87 ÷ 3 = 29 - No remainder! 3 is one of the factors!
29 ÷ 3 = 9.6667 - There is a remainder. We can't divide by 3 evenly anymore. Let's try the next prime number
29 ÷ 5 = 5.8 - This has a remainder. 5 is not a factor.
29 ÷ 7 = 4.1429 - This has a remainder. 7 is not a factor.
29 ÷ 11 = 2.6364 - This has a remainder. 11 is not a factor.
...
Keep trying increasingly larger numbers until you find one that divides evenly.
...
29 ÷ 29 = 1 - No remainder! 29 is one of the factors!

The orange divisor(s) above are the prime factors of the number 75,168. If we put all of it together we have the factors 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 29 = 75,168. It can also be written in exponential form as 25 x 34 x 291.

Factor Tree

Another way to do prime factorization is to use a factor tree. Below is a factor tree for the number 75,168.

75,168
Factor Arrows
237,584
Factor Arrows
218,792
Factor Arrows
29,396
Factor Arrows
24,698
Factor Arrows
22,349
Factor Arrows
3783
Factor Arrows
3261
Factor Arrows
387
Factor Arrows
329

More Prime Factorization Examples

75,16675,16775,16975,170
21 x 72 x 131 x 59175,167175,169121 x 51 x 7,5171

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