The prime factorization of 42 is 2 × 3 × 7.
To understand this, let’s break it down step by step:
- First, you start with the number 42.
- You can check for divisibility by the smallest prime number, which is 2. Since 42 is an even number, it is divisible by 2. This gives you:
- 42 ÷ 2 = 21.
- Next, you take the quotient, which is 21, and check for divisibility by the next smallest prime number, which is 3. The number 21 is divisible by 3, so you divide it: 21 ÷ 3 = 7.
- Now, you are left with 7, which is also a prime number.
Putting it all together, you see that 42 can be expressed as the product of the prime numbers 2, 3, and 7. Thus, the complete prime factorization of 42 is:
42 = 2 × 3 × 7.