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Prime and Composite Numbers & Prime Factorization

The document discusses prime and composite numbers. A prime number is only divisible by 1 and itself, while a composite number is divisible by other numbers other than 1 and itself. The document provides examples of prime and composite numbers. It also discusses finding the prime factors and writing numbers in exponential form based on their prime factorization. There are exercises for students to practice finding the prime factorization, determining if a number is prime or composite, and writing the exponential form. The document concludes by explaining the Sieve of Eratosthenes method for identifying prime numbers.

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120 views

Prime and Composite Numbers & Prime Factorization

The document discusses prime and composite numbers. A prime number is only divisible by 1 and itself, while a composite number is divisible by other numbers other than 1 and itself. The document provides examples of prime and composite numbers. It also discusses finding the prime factors and writing numbers in exponential form based on their prime factorization. There are exercises for students to practice finding the prime factorization, determining if a number is prime or composite, and writing the exponential form. The document concludes by explaining the Sieve of Eratosthenes method for identifying prime numbers.

Uploaded by

Vine Alparito
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PRIME AND COMPOSITE NUMBERS

Natural numbers are the set of numbers we use when we count. {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, … }

A prime number is a natural number that can be divided, without leaving any remainder, by only
itself and one. A prime number has only two factors, itself and one.

For example, 5 can be divided, without a remainder, only by 5 and 1. 5 has exactly two natural
number factors, 5 and 1. 5 is a prime number.

A composite number is a natural number that can be divided, without leaving any remainder, by a
natural number other than itself and one.

For example,

2=1x2 Prime

3=1x3 Prime

6 = 1 x 3 and 2 x 3 Composite

6 can be divided by 2 and 3, so 6 is composite.

15 = 1 x 15 and 3 x 5 Composite

15 can be divided by 3 and by 15, so 15 is composite.

* The number 1 is neither prime nor composite since its only factor is 1.

Interesting Facts:

 There is exactly one even prime number. It is also the smallest prime number. Do you know
what it is?
 Prime numbers are interesting to scientists, especially the large ones. Large prime numbers
are used as keys in the codes that are used to send secret messages. Since these are not easy
to find, the codes are difficult to breaks.
When you try to decide if a larger number is prime, you really only need to find out if it is
divisible by prime numbers that are less than it is.

PRIME FACTORIZATION

* From division to multiplication to factoring.

For example: The division 6 ÷ 3 = 2 may be written as a multiplication: 6 = 3 x 2.

Factors are numbers that you multiply together to get another number.

To factor a whole number is to write it as a product of two or more whole numbers.

Examples:

1. 6 = 1 x 6 ; 6 = 2 x 3 1, 2, 3, and 6 are called factors of 6.


2. 12 = 12 x 1 = 3 x 4 = 6 x 2 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12 are factors of 12.
3. 20 = 20 x 1 = 10 x 2 = 5 x 2 x 2 = 5 x 4 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, and 20 are factors of 20.

When a factor is a prime number, it is called a prime factor.

For example, the prime factors of 12 are 2 x 2 x 3. So, 2,2, and 3 are prime factors of 12.

Prime factorization is to write a composite whole number as the product of prime numbers only.

Example 1: Find the prime factorization of 159

159 is not divisible by 2.

159 is divisible by 3: 159 = 3 x 53

53 is a prime number.

3 is a prime number.

Therefore, the prime factorization of 159 is 159 = 3 x 53.

VGMBA | ALPARITO Math Tutorial


Example 2: Find the prime factorization of 42.

42 is divisible by 2: 42 = 2 x 21

2 is a prime number. 21 is a composite number.

21 is divisible by 3: 21 = 3 x 7

3 is a prime number.

7 is a prime number.

Therefore, the prime factorization of 42 is 42 = 2 x 3 x 7.

Another way of finding the prime factorization of a number is using the prime factor tree.

A prime factor tree or a factor tree is a diagram used to determine the prime factors of a natural
number greater than one.

There are different styles for making a prime factor tree.

VGMBA | ALPARITO Math Tutorial


* Every number has one prime factorization.

Exponential Form

Prime factorization of a number can be written into exponential form.

For example: Prime factorization of 8 is 2 x 2 x 2.

2 x 2 x 2 can be written to exponential form as 23 .

Another example is the prime factorization of 56 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 7 which can be written in exponential


form as 23 ×7 .

EXERCISE NO. 1
Write the factors for each number. Then, decide if it is a prime or composite. If the number is
composite, write the exponential form of the prime factors.

Numbers Prime Factorization Prime or Composite Exponential Form

1. 8 ________________________ __________________________ ___________________


2. 25 ________________________ __________________________ ___________________
3. 21 ________________________ __________________________ ___________________
4. 30 ________________________ __________________________ ___________________
5. 5 ________________________ __________________________ ___________________
6. 48 ________________________ __________________________ ___________________
7. 19 ________________________ __________________________ ___________________
8. 12 ________________________ __________________________ ___________________
9. 51 ________________________ __________________________ ___________________
10. 67 ________________________ __________________________ ___________________

VGMBA | ALPARITO Math Tutorial


EXERCISE NO. 2

1. List all factors of 48.


2. List the first five multiples of 6.
3. Write the first three numbers less than 30 that have 2 and 5 as factors.
4. Write the number between 0 and 25 that has:
 six factors
 three factors
5. Choose all the numbers on the list whose factors include 4: 12, 19, 34, 20, 50, 36.
6. Make a prime factor tree for 28.
7. A prime factor tree can look differently, depending on how the branches are laid out and on
where the factors are placed. Make two possible prime factor trees for 40.

THE SIEVE OF ERATOSTHENES

Over 2000 years ago, Eratosthenes, a Greek who studied mathematics and was the third librarian of
the library of Alexandria, was also interested in prime numbers. He lived from 276 BC until 194 BC.
He is credited with the development of what we now call the “Sieve of Eratosthenes”.

He arranged numbers in ten columns. One (1) is not a prime number. Its only factor is itself. Then,
since 2 is the first prime number, he crossed off every second number following 2. 3 is the next
prime number. So, Eratosthenes crossed out every third number. The next number that has not
been crossed out is the next prime number. This time it is 5. Eratosthenes circled the five and
crossed out every fifth number.

VGMBA | ALPARITO Math Tutorial


This process can be continued as long as you have time, patience, and a list of counting numbers. All
of the numbers that are crossed out are composite numbers. Use the following table as practice.

VGMBA | ALPARITO Math Tutorial

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