Did you know that any number is either a prime number; or can be made by multiplying its unique prime factors together? So: [table id=4 /] This is called 'the fundamental theory of arithmetic' and prime factors are very important in lots of different applications. The most well known is called RSA encryption, named after the 3 creators, Rivest, Shamir, and Adelman. They … [Read more...]
How to work out the HCF and LCM using factor trees
Factor trees are useful way of showing numbers that divide into the larger number. They're basically a picture with the number at the top and its factors below. So, if we look at the number 42, a typical factor tree could look like either one of these: Notice that the second line in both trees are different. These are still factors of 42 but, if you follow it through to the … [Read more...]