Draw a factor tree for
18

Answer

To draw a factor tree for the number 18, we will break it down into its factors until we reach prime numbers. Here’s a step-by-step solution:

### Step 1: Start with the number 18
- We begin with the number 18 at the top of our factor tree.

### Step 2: Find two factors of 18
- We can break down 18 into two factors. One possible pair of factors is 2 and 9.
- So, we write:
\[ 18 = 2 \times 9 \]

### Step 3: Check if the factors are prime
- The number 2 is a prime number.
- However, 9 is not a prime number, so we need to break it down further.

### Step 4: Break down 9 into its factors
- The factors of 9 are 3 and 3 (since \(9 = 3 \times 3\)).
- So, we write:
\[ 9 = 3 \times 3 \]

### Step 5: Complete the factor tree
- Now we can put it all together. The complete factor tree looks like this:
```
18
/ \
2 9
/ \
3 3
```
- The prime factors of 18 are 2, 3, and 3.

### Alternative Method:
We can also start with a different pair of factors for 18:
1. Break down 18 into 3 and 6:
\[ 18 = 3 \times 6 \]
2. Since 3 is prime, we check 6:
\[ 6 = 2 \times 3 \]
3. The complete factor tree for this method looks like:
```
18
/ \
3 6
/ \
2 3
```

### Final Result:
The prime factors of 18 are 2, 3, and 3, and we can represent the factor tree in two different ways as shown above.

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