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Prime Factor Trees

Prime factor trees can help us determine what the prime factors of a number are.

Making a prime factor tree

Making a prime factor tree

  • A prime factor tree breaks numbers up into their factor.
  • Let's make a factor tree for 24.
    • Start by selecting one factor pair of 24 (e.g. 3 and 8)
Are they prime numbers?

Are they prime numbers?

  • If either of the factors are prime numbers, you stop going down that branch.
    • You should circle that number so you remember it is a prime number.
  • If the factor is a composite number, then continue splitting it up into a factor pair.
Split any composite numbers

Split any composite numbers

  • You need to continue to split any composite numbers into their factors.
Continue until prime

Continue until prime

  • You should continue splitting the composite numbers until you get to prime numbers on all branches of your factor tree.
Prime factors of 24

Prime factors of 24

  • The factor tree tells you that the prime factors of 24 are 2, 2, 2 and 3.
    • The prime factors of 24 are 2, 2, 2 and 3 because 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 = 24.
Jump to other topics
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Year 5 - Number

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Year 5 - Measurement

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Year 5 - Geometry

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Year 5 - Statistics

5

Year 6 - Number

6

Year 6 - Ratio & Proportion

7

Year 6 - Algebra

8

Year 6 - Measurement

9

Year 6 - Statistics

9.1

Displaying Data

9.2

Averages

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