Find prime factors and complete prime factorization of any positive integer greater than 1. Detailed step-by-step solutions shown with successive division method.
Prime numbers are positive integers greater than 1 that have exactly two distinct positive divisors: 1 and itself. Examples: 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, ...
Prime factorization is the process of expressing a composite number as the product of its prime factors. The Unique Prime Factorization Theorem states that every integer greater than 1 is either prime or can be represented uniquely as a product of prime numbers (ignoring order).
For example, the prime factorization of 24 is \( 2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 3 = 2^3 \times 3 \).
Successive divisions by prime numbers (2, 3, 5, 7, ...):
Prime factorization: \( 120 = 2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 3 \times 5 = 2^3 \times 3 \times 5 \)