How is 20 written as the product of primes?a)2 × 5b)2 × 2 ...
Understanding Prime Factorization
To express the number 20 as a product of prime numbers, we need to break it down into its prime factors. Prime numbers are numbers greater than 1 that have no positive divisors other than 1 and themselves.
Step-by-Step Factorization of 20
1. Start with the number 20.
2. Divide by the smallest prime number, which is 2:
- 20 ÷ 2 = 10
3. Continue factoring 10:
- 10 ÷ 2 = 5
4. Next, we have 5, which is a prime number and cannot be divided further.
Collecting the Factors
From our steps, we have:
- 20 = 2 × 2 × 5
Final Prime Product Representation
Thus, the prime factorization of 20 can be expressed as:
- 20 = 2 × 2 × 5
This can also be written as 2^2 × 5, but the important point is that the individual prime factors are 2 and 5.
Evaluating the Options
Now let's evaluate the options given:
- Option a: 2 × 5 (Incorrect, as it misses one factor of 2)
- Option b: 2 × 2 × 3 × 5 (Incorrect, as it includes an extra factor of 3)
- Option c: 2 × 2 × 5 (Correct, matches our factorization)
- Option d: 2 × 2 × 3 (Incorrect, as it includes an extra factor of 3)
Conclusion
Therefore, the correct answer is option 'C': 2 × 2 × 5, which accurately represents 20 as the product of its prime factors.
How is 20 written as the product of primes?a)2 × 5b)2 × 2 ...
20 expressed as a product of primes is 2 × 2 × 5.