Final answer:
Prime factors are the prime numbers that divide a given number, and they can be found by dividing the number with prime numbers starting from 2 and continuing until a quotient that is a prime number is obtained.
Step-by-step explanation:
Prime factors are the factors of a number that are themselves prime numbers. They are the building blocks of a number and cannot be further divided into smaller prime factors. To find the prime factors of a number, you can start by dividing the number by the smallest prime number, which is 2, and continue dividing until you get a quotient that is a prime number. Repeat this process with the quotient until you have found all the prime factors. For example, the prime factors of 24 are 2, 2, 2, and 3.