What is Prime Factorization?
Prime factorization is the process of finding which prime numbers multiply together to make the original number. A prime number is a whole number greater than 1 that cannot be made by multiplying other whole numbers.
Example
The prime factors of 12 are 2, 2, and 3 (because 2 × 2 × 3 = 12). Written in exponent form, this is 2² × 3¹.
Why is it useful?
Prime factorization is used in cryptography, finding common denominators for fractions, and solving complex algebraic problems.