What is the prime factorization of 20
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The prime factorization of 20 is:
20=2×2×520 = 2 \times 2 \times 520=2×2×5
Alternatively, you can express this as:
20=22×520 = 2^2 \times 520=22×5
Explanation:
Prime factorization is the process of breaking down a number into the prime numbers that multiply together to give that number. Prime numbers are natural numbers greater than 1 that have no divisors other than 1 and themselves. In this case, we need to find the prime factors of 20.
- Start with the smallest prime number (2):
Since 20 is an even number, it’s divisible by 2. Dividing 20 by 2 gives: 20÷2=1020 ÷ 2 = 1020÷2=10 So, one factor is 2, and we are left with 10. - Next, divide 10 by 2 again:
Since 10 is also even, we divide it by 2: 10÷2=510 ÷ 2 = 510÷2=5 Now, we have another factor of 2, and we are left with 5. - Now, 5 is a prime number:
The number 5 cannot be divided further by 2, and since it’s prime, we stop here.
Thus, the prime factors of 20 are 2, 2, and 5, or 22×52^2 \times 522×5.
This prime factorization shows that 20 is composed of two 2s (which represent 222^222) and one 5. Prime factorization helps simplify numbers, especially when performing operations like finding the greatest common divisor (GCD) or least common multiple (LCM) between numbers.
