Problem 23 - Introductory Algebra for College Students

Question

Identify each natural number as prime or composite. If the number is composite, find its prime factorization. $$79$$

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

The number 79 is classified as a prime number. It is not necessary to find its prime factorization because prime numbers only have one prime factor: themselves.

Step 1: Identifying the Number

The first step is to identify the number which is 79 in this case.

Step 2: Checking if the Number is Prime or Composite

A prime number has only two factors: 1 and itself. In other words, the only two integer numbers that can multiply to form a prime number are 1 and the prime number itself. The natural number to check here is 79. The factors of 79 are 1 and itself (79). So, it is clear that there are only two factors, which makes it a prime number.