Factors not included in the prime factorization of a composite number
Factors that are not included in the prime factorization of a composite number are other composite factors, as the prime factorization only includes the prime factors of a number. Composite factors are numbers greater than 1 that have factors other than 1 and themselves.

Explanation
- Composite factors: When finding the prime factorization of a composite number, we break it down into its prime factors. These prime factors are the building blocks of the number and are all prime numbers.
- Composite factors not included: Other composite factors of the number are not included in the prime factorization. This is because we are looking for the prime factors, which are indivisible by any other number except 1 and themselves.
- Example: For example, let's consider the number 24. The prime factorization of 24 is 2 x 2 x 2 x 3. The prime factors are 2 and 3, while the composite factor 4 (2 x 2) is not included in the prime factorization.
- Importance: Including composite factors in the prime factorization would make the factorization redundant and defeat the purpose of breaking down the number into its prime components.
In conclusion, when determining the prime factorization of a composite number, we only consider the prime factors and exclude any composite factors from the factorization. This helps us understand the unique prime components of the number.