Last updated: March 2, 2026 by Dr. David Park

How Prime Factorization Works

Formula

Prime factorization breaks a number into its prime building blocks. For example, 360 = 2^3 x 3^2 x 5.

Every positive integer greater than 1 has a unique prime factorization (Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic).

Common use cases:

  • Simplifying fractions to lowest terms
  • Finding GCF and LCM via prime factors
  • Cryptography and number theory

Frequently Asked Questions

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Dr. David Park

Applied Mathematician, PhD Mathematics

David holds a PhD in Applied Mathematics from MIT. He has published research on numerical methods and computational algorithms used in engineering and scientific calculators.

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