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Prime Factorization Explained

The document discusses the fundamental theorem of arithmetic, which states that every positive integer can be written uniquely as a product of prime numbers. It provides an algorithm to decompose a number into its prime factors. As examples, it uses the algorithm to find the prime factorizations of 495 and 105×2002. The factorization of 495 is 3^2 × 5 × 11 and the factorization of 105×2002 is 2 × 3 × 7^2 × 11 × 13.

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124 views2 pages

Prime Factorization Explained

The document discusses the fundamental theorem of arithmetic, which states that every positive integer can be written uniquely as a product of prime numbers. It provides an algorithm to decompose a number into its prime factors. As examples, it uses the algorithm to find the prime factorizations of 495 and 105×2002. The factorization of 495 is 3^2 × 5 × 11 and the factorization of 105×2002 is 2 × 3 × 7^2 × 11 × 13.

Uploaded by

sourcery22
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Dr. Z.

s Number Theory Lecture 6 Handout: The Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic


By Doron Zeilberger
The prime numbers are the atoms of multiplication.
Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic
Every positive integer n can be written uniquely as a product of primes or prime-powers, i.e. for
some k 1
n = p
a
1
1
p
a
2
2
. . . p
a
k
k
,
where a
1
, . . . , a
k
are positive integers, and p
1
< p
2
< . . . < p
k
are primes.
How to do it?
Input: A positive integer n.
Output: A list of pairs L(n) = [p
1
, a
1
], [p
2
, a
2
], . . . , [a
k
, b
k
] (k 0, p
i
, primes, a
i
positive integers,
and p
1
< p
2
< . . . < p
k
, such that
n = p
a
1
1
p
a
k
k
.
If n = 1 then output the empty list: NOTHING.
Let p be the smallest prime divisible by n. Let a be the largest integer such that n/p
a
is an integer
(i.e. that p
a
is divisible by n). Then
L(n) = [p, a], L(n/p
a
)
Problem 6.1: Find the prime-power decomposition of 495.
Solution of 6.1: 2 is not divisible by 495, but 3 is. 3
2
is divisible by 495 but 3
3
is not, so
p = 3, a = 2. So
L(495) = [3, 2], L(495/3
2
) = [3, 2], L(55) .
The smallest prime that divieds 55 is 5. 55 is not divisible by 5
2
, so, since 55/5 = 11
L(55) = [5, 1], L(11) .
11 is not divisible by 7, but is divisible by 11 (in fact it is) 11. 11 is nod divisible by 11
2
so
p = 7, a = 1, since 11/11
1
= 1
L(11) = [11, 1], L(1)
Now it is time for the backwards journey. Of course L(1) is the empty list, so
L(11) = [11, 1] ,
1
L(55) = [5, 1], L(11) = [5, 1], [11, 1] ,
L(495) = [3, 2], L(55) = [3, 2], [5, 1], [11, 1] .
Ans. to 6.1: L(495) = [3, 2], [5, 1], [11, 1], or in, humanese
495 = 3
2
5 11 .
The existence follows immediately from the algorithm, but so does uniqueness (in spite of what
Euclid or wikipedia would tell you). The smallest prime divisible by n, and the largest power
of p divisible by n are both well-dened and unique, so both existence and uniqueness follow by
induction.
Multiplying integers given in product of prime-powers format
Simply multiply them, simplify the powers, and rearrange in order of increasing primes.
Problem 6.2: Find the product-of-primes-representation of 105 2002, by rst doing it for 105 and
2002 (rather than for 210210.
Solution of 6.2:
105 = 3 5 7
2002 = 2 7 11 13
So
105 1001 = (3 5 7) (2 7 11 13) = 2 3 7
2
11 13 .
Ans. to 6.2: The product-of-prime-powers representation of 105 2002 is 2 3 7
2
11 13, or in
list notation
[2, 1], [3, 1], [7, 2], [11, 1], [13, 1] .
2

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