Transcript Prime Factor Tree

Prime Factor Tree
Discovering Prime Factors
of Any Number
Definitions
• Prime Number – An integer whose only factors
are 1 and itself.
• Factor – a number that can divide another
number without a remainder.
• Prime Factors – an expression of numbers that
divides another integer without a remainder
where all the factors are prime.
Let’s Choose a Number
• Let’s use 36
• Choose any 2 factors
– let’s use 9 and 4
• Now let’s factor these
numbers, too
• Next, arrange them
from least to greatest
• Last, re-write as
exponents
36
9
x
4
3 x 3
2 x 2
2 x 2
3 x 3
22
x
32
Let’s Try That Again!
• Let’s use 36 again
• Choose any 2 factors –
let’s use 3 and 12
• Now let’s factor these
numbers, too
• Oops, 6 is not prime let’s factor again!
• Next, arrange them from
least to greatest
• Last, re-write as
exponents
• Look, it’s the same
answer!
36
3
x
3 x
12
6 x 2
3 x 2 x 3 x 2
2 x2 x 3 x 3
22
x
32
Let’s Re-Cap
• Composite numbers are made up of
factors
• In a Prime Factor Tree, the goal is to keep
reducing each factor to its lowest possible
prime factors
• When you have all the prime factors
identified, re-arrange them from least to
greatest and re-write them as exponents
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