Find prime factors of 496
Break any number into its prime factors with a complete factor tree.
496
Divide 496 by the smallest prime factors repeatedly:
Step 1: Is 496 divisible by 2?
496 is even (last digit is 6)
496 ÷ 2 = 248
Step 2: Is 248 divisible by 2?
248 is even (last digit is 8)
248 ÷ 2 = 124
Step 3: Is 124 divisible by 2?
124 is even (last digit is 4)
124 ÷ 2 = 62
Step 4: Is 62 divisible by 2?
62 is even (last digit is 2)
62 ÷ 2 = 31
Step 5:
31 ÷ 31 = 1
Prime factorization (expanded):
496 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 31
In exponential form:
496 = 2⁴ × 31
496 = 2⁴ × 31
How to find prime factors of 496
To find the prime factorization of 496, 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 496?
The answer is 496 = 2⁴ × 31.
What method is used?
repeated division — divide by 2, then 3, then 5, and so on until the quotient is 1.