What is Prime Factorization?
Prime factorization is like taking a number apart to see what prime numbers multiply together to make it!
Just like a house is built with bricks, every number is built by multiplying prime numbers together. Prime numbers are special numbers that can only be divided by 1 and themselves.
How to Find Prime Factors
1️⃣ Start with the number you want to factor
2️⃣ Find two numbers that multiply to make it (factors)
3️⃣ Keep breaking down the numbers until you only have primes left
Let's Try Some Examples!
Example 1: Factor Tree for 24
24
4
×
6
2
×
2
×
2
×
3
So, 24 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 or 2³ × 3
We broke 24 down into its prime factors: three 2's and one 3!
Example 2: Interactive Factorization
Let's find the prime factors of 36 together!
36
Parent Tips 🌟
- Make it visual: Use building blocks or legos to represent prime factors - small blocks for primes, larger structures for composite numbers.
- Factor hunt: Turn it into a game by challenging your child to find all prime factors of numbers around the house (like ages, street numbers, etc.).
- Relate to multiplication: Show how knowing prime factors helps with simplifying fractions and finding common denominators.