Final answer:
The factorization of 120 involves dividing by the smallest prime numbers until only prime numbers are left. The prime factorization of 120 is 2³ × 3 × 5.
Step-by-step explanation:
Factorization of 120
To perform the factorization of 120, we can start by finding the smallest prime number that divides 120, which is 2. We divide 120 by 2 and get 60. We continue this process until we cannot divide by primes anymore.
120 ÷ 2 = 60
60 ÷ 2 = 30
30 ÷ 2 = 15
15 is not divisible by 2, but it is divisible by 3, so we divide by 3.
15 ÷ 3 = 5
Now, all the factors we used were prime numbers: 2, 2, 2, and 3, and the final result is 5, which is also a prime number. So, the prime factorization of 120 is 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 × 5, or 2³ × 3 × 5.