Q: What is the prime factorization of the number 38,880?

 A:
  • The prime factors are: 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 5
    • or also written as { 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 5 }
  • Written in exponential form: 25 x 35 x 51

Why is the prime factorization of 38,880 written as 25 x 35 x 51?

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 38,880

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 38,880 by 2

38,880 ÷ 2 = 19,440 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
19,440 ÷ 2 = 9,720 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
9,720 ÷ 2 = 4,860 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
4,860 ÷ 2 = 2,430 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
2,430 ÷ 2 = 1,215 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
1,215 ÷ 2 = 607.5 - There is a remainder. We can't divide by 2 evenly anymore. Let's try the next prime number
1,215 ÷ 3 = 405 - No remainder! 3 is one of the factors!
405 ÷ 3 = 135 - No remainder! 3 is one of the factors!
135 ÷ 3 = 45 - No remainder! 3 is one of the factors!
45 ÷ 3 = 15 - No remainder! 3 is one of the factors!
15 ÷ 3 = 5 - No remainder! 3 is one of the factors!
5 ÷ 3 = 1.6667 - There is a remainder. We can't divide by 3 evenly anymore. Let's try the next prime number
5 ÷ 5 = 1 - No remainder! 5 is one of the factors!

The orange divisor(s) above are the prime factors of the number 38,880. 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 3 x 5 = 38,880. It can also be written in exponential form as 25 x 35 x 51.

Factor Tree

Another way to do prime factorization is to use a factor tree. Below is a factor tree for the number 38,880.

38,880
Factor Arrows
219,440
Factor Arrows
29,720
Factor Arrows
24,860
Factor Arrows
22,430
Factor Arrows
21,215
Factor Arrows
3405
Factor Arrows
3135
Factor Arrows
345
Factor Arrows
315
Factor Arrows
35

More Prime Factorization Examples

38,87838,87938,88138,882
21 x 71 x 2,7771171 x 2,2871591 x 659121 x 19,4411

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