Prime Factorization Calculator

Prime factorization is the process of breaking down a composite number into its prime factors.

• A prime number is a whole number greater than 1 that has only two divisors: 1 and itself (e.g., 2, 3, 5, 7, 11).
• A composite number is a whole number that has more than two divisors (e.g., 4, 6, 8, 9).

Every composite number can be expressed as a unique product of prime numbers. For example, the prime factorization of 12 is 2 × 2 × 3 or 22 × 3.

This calculator uses the trial division method, which involves repeatedly dividing the number by the smallest prime numbers until the result is 1.