Prime Factorization
Rational numbers and rational expressions share more than just their appearance. If you are proficient in simplifying and performing operations on rational numbers in the form of fractions, then simplifying rational expressions and performing operations on rational expressions won’t be difficult.
Before simplifying rational expressions, let’s look at rational numbers.
Remember that every composite number has its own prime factorization. It is called the Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic.
- Find the prime factorization for the following numbers:
a) 24 b) 36 c) 54 d) 48
- Use the prime factorization to simplify the following fractions:
a) \(\dfrac{24}{36}\) b) \(\dfrac{48}{54}\) c) \(\dfrac{36}{54}\) d) \(\dfrac{24}{48}\)
