Factoring numbers is a common mathematical process that you might see in a middle school, high school or college math or algebra course. When you factor a number, you break it down into other numbers that will divide evenly into the original number. The numbers that will divide evenly into the original number are referred to as "factors." If you must factor a prime number, you will only be extracting two factors from that value because technically they cannot be factored.
Instructions
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1
Write down the prime number. For example, you might have 2, 7 or 19.
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2
Write down the number 1. This number divides evenly into any prime number.
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3
Write down the prime number. This is the only other factor of a prime number besides the number 1, hence the definition of a prime number. For instance, you would factor 19 as 1 x 19, or you could list the factors as 1, 19.