How do you write 42 as a product of its prime factors?
1 Answer
Sep 22, 2016
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"#