BECE Mathematics 2019 Paper

A prime is a number that is greater than 1 and divisible only by itself and 1 (e.g. 2, 3, 5, 7, 11,...)Write the 72 as a multiple of a number and further break the numbers down until you express it in the simplest factors$72=36 \times 2$$72=6 \times 6 \times 2(36=6 \times 6)$$72=3 \times 2 \times 3 \times 2 \times 2(6=3 \times 2)$Since its in the simplest form, express them as powersApplying $a^m \times a^n=a^{m+n}$$3 \times 2 \times 3 \times 2 \times 2=2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 3 \times 3$Every number is raised to the power 1 which is not written. Thus $a=a^1$$\Rightarrow 2=2^1, 3=3^1$$\Rightarrow 2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 3 \times 3=2^1 \times 2^1 \times 2^1 \times 3^1 \times 3^1$$2^1 \times 2^1 \times 2^1 \times 3^1 \times 3^1=2^{1+1+1} \times 3^{1+1}=2^3 \times 3^2$