What is the prime factorization of 10?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking for the prime factors of the number 10. Prime factorization involves expressing a number as a product of its prime factors. For 10, we need to find the prime numbers that multiply together to give the original number.
Answer
2 \times 5
Answer for screen readers
The final answer is 2 × 5
Steps to Solve
- Find the smallest prime number that divides 10
The smallest prime number is 2. We check if 10 is divisible by 2.
10 ÷ 2 = 5
- Check if 5 is a prime number
Since 5 is a prime number (it is only divisible by 1 and itself), we include 5 in the prime factorization.
- Write down the prime factors
Combining the results from the steps above, the prime factors of 10 are 2 and 5.
Therefore, the prime factorization of 10 is 2 × 5.
The final answer is 2 × 5
More Information
Prime factorization shows the unique set of prime numbers that multiply together to form the original number. Every integer greater than 1 has a unique prime factorization.
Tips
A common mistake is to miss checking each factor for primality, which could lead to incorrect factors.