Mastering Prime Factorization: The Ladder Method Explained

The video tutorial introduces prime factorization, explaining it as writing a composite number as the product of its prime factors. It provides examples and non-examples to clarify the concept. The ladder method is introduced as a technique to find prime factors, with practice exercises to reinforce learning. Key vocabulary terms are reviewed at the end.

What is the definition of prime factorization?

• Writing a composite number as the product of its prime factors

• Writing a number as the sum of its prime factors

• Writing a composite number as the sum of its factors

• Writing a prime number as the product of its factors

Which of the following is a composite number?

• 2

• 3

• 18

• 5

What is the prime factorization of the number 6?

• 6 * 1

• 3 * 2

• 2 * 3

• 1 * 6

Why is 3 * 4 not the prime factorization of 12?

• Because 3 and 4 are both prime numbers

• Because 3 is not a prime number

• Because 12 is not a composite number

• Because 4 is not a prime number

What is the first step in the ladder method?

• Start with the number 1

• Start with any composite number

• Start with the largest prime number

• Start with the smallest prime number

Using the ladder method, what are the prime factors of 18?

• 3 * 6

• 2 * 9

• 1 * 18

• 2 * 3 * 3

Which number is not a prime factor of 45?

• 3

• 5

• 9

• 15

What is the prime factorization of 60 using the ladder method?

• 2 * 5 * 6

• 2 * 3 * 10

• 2 * 2 * 3 * 5

• 3 * 5 * 4

What is the prime factorization of 88?

• 2 * 2 * 2 * 11

• 2 * 4 * 11

• 2 * 2 * 22

• 4 * 22

Which of the following is true about a prime number?

• It is always an even number

• It has more than two factors

• It is a whole number greater than one with only two factors

• It can be divided by any number