The prime factorization of 90 can be found by dividing the number by prime numbers until we reach 1. Let’s break it down step-by-step.
First, we start by dividing 90 by the smallest prime number, which is 2:
- 90 ÷ 2 = 45
Next, we continue with 45. The smallest prime number we can use here is 3:
- 45 ÷ 3 = 15
Now, we take 15 and divide again by 3:
- 15 ÷ 3 = 5
Finally, we reach 5, which is itself a prime number:
- 5 ÷ 5 = 1
Putting it all together, we can express 90 as a product of its prime factors:
90 = 2 × 3 × 3 × 5
Using exponents, we can write this as:
90 = 21 × 32 × 51
So, the prime factorization of 90 using exponents is 21 × 32 × 51.