pdf Factor Trees

This worksheet provides structured practice with prime factorization using factor trees. Students complete partially constructed trees by filling in missing factors and continue breaking composite numbers down until all branches end in prime numbers.

In addition to completing each factor tree, students must also express the final prime factorization in exponential notation. This reinforces both conceptual understanding of repeated prime factors and procedural fluency with exponents. For example, a number such as 120 would ultimately be written as \(2^3 \times 3 \times 5\), helping students clearly see the multiplicative structure of the number.

The set includes a balanced range of numbers, from smaller three-digit values to larger multi-digit composites, providing meaningful challenge while reinforcing systematic factoring strategies. This resource strengthens number sense and builds a strong foundation for future work with greatest common factor, least common multiple, and rational expressions.

Skills Assessed

• Creating and completing factor trees

• Identifying prime and composite numbers

• Writing prime factorizations

• Expressing prime factorization in exponential notation

• Recognizing repeated prime factors

• Strengthening number sense and multiplicative reasoning

Classroom Use

This worksheet works well as guided practice when introducing prime factorization, independent practice during a factors and multiples unit, or as review before working with GCF and LCM. It can also serve as a formative assessment to check students’ understanding of prime decomposition and exponential notation.

Details

• 2 pages

• Answer key included

ID# 0860