Find prime factors of 120
Break any number into its prime factors with a complete factor tree.
120
Divide 120 by the smallest prime factors repeatedly:
Step 1: Is 120 divisible by 2?
120 is even (last digit is 0)
120 ÷ 2 = 60
Step 2: Is 60 divisible by 2?
60 is even (last digit is 0)
60 ÷ 2 = 30
Step 3: Is 30 divisible by 2?
30 is even (last digit is 0)
30 ÷ 2 = 15
Step 4: Is 15 divisible by 3?
digit sum = 6 (divisible by 3)
15 ÷ 3 = 5
Step 5:
5 ÷ 5 = 1
Prime factorization (expanded):
120 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 × 5
In exponential form:
120 = 23 × 3 × 5
120 = 23 × 3 × 5
How to find prime factors of 120
To find the prime factorization of 120, start dividing by the smallest prime factor (2), then try 3, 5, 7, and so on until the quotient is 1. Each prime factor and its power make up the factorization.
This is a prime factorization — every integer greater than 1 has a unique prime factorization. We find it by dividing by the smallest primes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the answer to 120?
The answer is 120 = 2³ × 3 × 5.
What method is used?
repeated division — divide by 2, then 3, then 5, and so on until the quotient is 1.