prime factorization
nounUK /praɪm ˌfæktəraɪˈzeɪʃən/
US /praɪm ˌfæktərəˈzeɪʃən/
Breaking a number into the prime numbers that multiply together to make it.
The prime factorization of 12 is 2 × 2 × 3.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. The process of finding which prime numbers multiply together to give a particular whole number.
Students practiced prime factorization by building factor trees for 36 and 60.
3. The unique set of prime factors of a number, as guaranteed by the Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic.
Every integer greater than one has a prime factorization that is unique apart from the order of the factors.
4. A method used in cryptography and computer science to break large numbers into their prime building blocks.
Modern encryption relies on the difficulty of prime factorization for very large numbers.