write the prime factorization of 15 using exponents.
See:
http://www.jiskha.com/display.cgi?id=1254178549
3x3x5
26
15
3*5
To find the prime factorization of 15, you need to express it as a product of its prime factors.
Prime factorization is the process of breaking down a number into its prime factors. Prime factors are the prime numbers that divide evenly into the original number.
Let's begin by finding the prime factors of 15:
To determine if a number is prime, start dividing it by the smallest prime number, which is 2. If it is divisible by 2, divide it until it is no longer divisible by 2. Otherwise, move on to the next prime number, which is 3. Repeat this process until the number is reduced to 1.
For 15, the steps would be as follows:
1. Divide 15 by 2. It is not divisible by 2.
2. Divide 15 by 3. It is divisible by 3. The result is 5.
3. Divide 5 by any prime number greater than its square root (which is 2.24). Since there are no prime numbers greater than the square root of 5, we can conclude that 5 itself is a prime number.
Now we have the prime factors of 15, which are 3 and 5.
To express the prime factorization of 15 using exponents, we can write it as:
15 = 3^1 * 5^1
Therefore, the prime factorization of 15 using exponents is 3^1 * 5^1.