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Definition

Prime Factorization

The prime factorization of a number is the unique way of writing that number as a product of prime numbers. The primes that appear in this product are called the number's prime factors. Every composite number has exactly one prime factorization (apart from the order of the factors). For example, 72=2223372 = 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 3 \cdot 3. No matter which pair of factors you start with when breaking a composite number down, you will always arrive at the same set of prime factors.

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Updated 2026-05-01

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