Question

Express 144 as the product of the prime factors

Answer 1

144 ends in an even number, so we know we can divide it by 2.

144 = 2 × 72

72 can be divided by 2 again.

144 = 2 × 2 × 36

144 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 18

144 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 9

And 9 equals 3 times 3.

144 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 × 3

Since we have a bunch of numbers multiplying into themselves, we should use exponents to write this

2^4 x 3^2

Explanation:

Answer 2

144 ends in an even number, so we know we can divide it by 2.

144 = 2 × 72

Let's keep going. 72 can be divided by 2 again.

144 = 2 × 2 × 36

And again...

144 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 18

And again!

144 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 9

And 9 equals 3 times 3.

144 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 × 3

Since we have a bunch of numbers multiplying into themselves, we should use exponents to write this.


`\boxed{2^4*3^2}`

(The little number above, called an exponent, tells you how many times to multiply the number by itself.)