To find the prime factorization of 243, we start by dividing the number by the smallest prime number, which is 2. However, 243 is an odd number, so we move to the next prime number, which is 3.
Dividing 243 by 3, we get:
243 ÷ 3 = 81
We can continue factoring 81 by 3:
81 ÷ 3 = 27
Next, we factor 27 by 3:
27 ÷ 3 = 9
We can factor 9 by 3 as well:
9 ÷ 3 = 3
Finally, we can factor 3, which is already a prime number:
3 ÷ 3 = 1
Now we have factored 243 down to its prime components. Listing out the factors we used:
- 3 (used 5 times)
This can be expressed as:
3 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 = 35
Thus, the prime factorization of 243 is:
35