Question

How do you write 42 as a product of its prime factors?

Answer 1

`42=2xx3xx7`

Explanation:

The lowest `color(blue)"prime number"` is 2. So we begin by dividing 42 by 2.

`rArr42÷color(red)(2) =21`

Now 21 cannot be divided by 2 so we now divide by the next highest `color(blue)"prime number"` which is 3.

`rArr21÷color(red)(3)=7`

Now 7 is a `color(blue)"prime number"`

`rArr7÷color(red)(7)=1` when we reach 1 we stop there.

Prime factors of 42 are `color(red)(2,3" and " 7)`

and as a product of prime factors, means expressing them in multiplication form.

`rArr42=2xx3xx7larr" product of prime factors"`