Which pair are prime factors of 12?

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Multiple Choice

Which pair are prime factors of 12?

Explanation:
Prime factors are the prime numbers that multiply together to form the original number. For 12, you can factor it by dividing by the smallest prime, 2: 12 = 2 × 6, and then 6 = 2 × 3. So the prime factors are 2, 2, and 3; the distinct prime factors are 2 and 3. Both 2 and 3 are prime and divide 12, which is why they form the correct pair. The other options include numbers that aren’t prime (like 4 and 6) or a prime that doesn’t divide 12 (like 5), so they aren’t correct prime factors of 12.

Prime factors are the prime numbers that multiply together to form the original number. For 12, you can factor it by dividing by the smallest prime, 2: 12 = 2 × 6, and then 6 = 2 × 3. So the prime factors are 2, 2, and 3; the distinct prime factors are 2 and 3. Both 2 and 3 are prime and divide 12, which is why they form the correct pair. The other options include numbers that aren’t prime (like 4 and 6) or a prime that doesn’t divide 12 (like 5), so they aren’t correct prime factors of 12.

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