2.

3 PRIME FACTORIZATION
AND SOME SPECIAL
NUMBERS
ANNA LIZA P. DEL ROSARIO
ASST. PROF. 1
PRIME FACTORIZATION AND SOME SPECIAL NUMBERS

A natural number 𝑛 is said to be composite if it

has a nontrivial divisor; that is, it has a divisor 𝑑
𝑛
such that 1 < 𝑑 < 𝑛. If so, 𝑛 = 𝑑𝑐 where 𝑐 = 𝑑.

A natural number 𝑝 is said to be prime if 𝑝 > 1

and 𝑝 has no nontrivial divisor. (We note that a
prime number has no divisors except 1 and
itself.)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60
61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70
71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80
81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90
91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100
PRIME FACTORIZATION AND SOME SPECIAL NUMBERS

 Theorem 2.6. Every integer greater than 1 is

expressible as a product of primes.

 Theorem 2.7. If 𝑛 is composite, then 𝑛 is divisible

by a prime 𝑝 ≤ 𝑛.
Example 2.5. Determine if 103 is prime or composite
PRIME FACTORIZATION AND SOME SPECIAL NUMBERS

 Lemma 2.1. Euclid’s Lemma. Let 𝑝 be prime and

suppose 𝑝|𝑎𝑏. Then, either 𝑝|𝑎 or 𝑝|𝑏.

 Theorem 2.8. Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic.

Every natural number greater than 1 is uniquely
expressible as a product of primes.
PRIME FACTORIZATION AND SOME SPECIAL NUMBERS

 The unique prime factorization of 𝑛 is called the

canonical prime factorization of 𝑛 and is given by
𝑛 = 𝑝1 𝑎1 𝑝2 𝑎2 … 𝑝𝑘 𝑎𝑘
Where the 𝑝′ 𝑠 are distinct and 𝑝1 < 𝑝2 < ⋯ < 𝑝𝑘

Example 2.6. The canonical prime factorization of 1

323 is ___________ .
METHODS OF FINDING THE CANONICAL PRIME FACTORIZATION OF
A GIVEN COMPOSITE NUMBER

 Method 1. Use of factor tree

Example 2.7. Use a factor tree to find the

canonical prime factorization of 260.
METHODS OF FINDING THE CANONICAL PRIME FACTORIZATION OF
A GIVEN COMPOSITE NUMBER

 Method 2. Continuous Division Method

Example 2.8. Use method 2 to find the
canonical factorization of 260. 2 260
2 130
5 65
13 13
1
METHODS OF FINDING THE CANONICAL PRIME FACTORIZATION OF
A GIVEN COMPOSITE NUMBER

 Method 3. Fermat’s Method of Factorization

This technique is useful to find factors of some
large odd composite numbers.
If 𝑛 is an odd composite, then 𝑛 = 𝑎𝑏 with 1 <
𝑎 < 𝑏.
𝑏+𝑎 𝑏−𝑎
Let 𝑥 = 2
and 𝑦 = 2
,
Thus, 𝑛 = (𝑥 − 𝑦)(𝑥 + 𝑦)
METHODS OF FINDING THE CANONICAL PRIME FACTORIZATION OF
A GIVEN COMPOSITE NUMBER

Example 2.9. Use the Fermat’s Method to factor 667

Solution:
We note that 252 < 667 < 262
𝐷 = 𝑡 2 − 667 for 𝑡 = 26,27,28, … until 𝐷 is already a
perfect square.
Thus, x = 26 and y = 3
667 = (23) (29)
FINDING THE NUMBER OF POSITIVE DIVISORS OF 𝑛 AND THE SUM OF
POSITIVE DIVISORS OF 𝑛.

Let 𝑑(𝑛) denote the number of positive divisors of 𝑛,

and 𝑠(𝑛) denote the sum of positive divisors of 𝑛.
𝑎 1 𝑎2 𝑎𝑘
If 𝑛 = 𝑝1 𝑝2 … 𝑝𝑘

We have 𝑑(𝑛) = 𝑎1 + 1 𝑎2 + 1 … (𝑎𝑘 + 1)

𝑎 +1 𝑎 +1 𝑎𝑘 +1
𝑝1 1 −1 𝑝2 2 −1 𝑝𝑘 −1
And 𝑠(𝑛) = 𝑝1 −1 𝑝2 −1
… 𝑝𝑘 −1
 FINDING THE NUMBER OF POSITIVE DIVISORS OF 𝑛 AND THE SUM OF
POSITIVE DIVISORS OF 𝑛.

Example 2.10. Find the number of divisors and the sum of positive
divisors of 75.
Solution:
75 = 3 ∙ 52
Thus, we have 𝑝1 = 3, 𝑎1 = 1, 𝑝2 = 5, 𝑎2 = 2
𝑑(𝑛) = 1 + 1 2 + 1 = 6
32 −1 53 −1
and 𝑠(𝑛) = = 124
3−1 5−1
This means, 75 has 6 divisors and the sum of those 6 divisors is 124.
Some Special Numbers

A natural number 𝑛 is perfect if 𝑠 𝑛 = 2𝑛

Example 2.11. The number 6 is a perfect number because 𝑠 𝑛 =

12 = 2(6).
Some Special Numbers

Euclid’s Formula: A number 𝑛 is perfect if it satisfies the equation

𝑛 = 2𝑝−1 (2𝑝 − 1)
where both 𝑝 and 2𝑝 − 1 are primes.

Example 2.12. If 𝑝 = 2, since 22 − 1 = 3 is prime, then

22−1 22 − 1 = 2 3 = 6 is perfect.
If 𝑝 = 3, since 23 − 1 = 7 is prime, then
23−1 23 − 1 = 4 7 = 28 is perfect.
Some Special Numbers

Let 𝑆(𝑛) denote the sum of the proper divisors of 𝑛. Two natural
numbers 𝑛 and 𝑚 form an amicable pair if 𝑆 𝑛 = 𝑚 and 𝑆 𝑚 = 𝑛.

Example 2.13. We note that 𝑠 220 = 504. Thus, 𝑆 220 = 504 −

220 = 284.
Similarly, 𝑠 284 = 504. Thus, 𝑆 284 = 504 − 284 = 220.
We then conclude that 220 and 284 form an amicable pair.