For extra help, here are some strategies for prime factoring whole numbers.
1) The first way is to use a table as shown in the following slide show:
2) Another way to prime factor a composite number is to use a factor ladder:
Prime factorization for 48: \(48=2^4\cdot{3}\)
3) A third way to prime factor a number is to use a factor tree.
Check your answers for simplifying the fractions above:
a) \(\Large \frac{24}{36}=\frac{2\cdot{2}\cdot{2}\cdot{3}}{2\cdot{2}\cdot{3}\cdot{3}}=\frac{2}{3}\)
b) \(\Large \frac{48}{54}=\frac{2\cdot{2}\cdot{2}\cdot{2}\cdot{3}}{2\cdot{3}\cdot{3}\cdot{3}}=\frac{2\cdot{2}\cdot{2}}{3\cdot{3}}=\frac{8}{9}\)
c) \(\Large \frac{36}{54}=\frac{2\cdot{2}\cdot{3}\cdot{3}}{2\cdot{3}\cdot{3}\cdot{3}}=\frac{2}{3}\)
d) \(\Large \frac{24}{48}=\frac{2\cdot{2}\cdot{2}\cdot{3}}{2\cdot{2}\cdot{2}\cdot{2}\cdot{3}}=\frac{1}{2}\)