What is the prime factorization of 86?

To find the prime factorization of 86, follow these steps:

Start with the number 86. Check if it is divisible by the smallest prime number, 2.

86 is an even number, so it is divisible by 2.
Divide 86 by 2: 86 ÷ 2 = 43.
Now, check if 43 is divisible by any prime numbers. The prime numbers smaller than 43 are 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, and so on.

43 is not divisible by 2 because it is odd.
43 is not divisible by 3 because the sum of its digits (4 + 3 = 7) is not divisible by 3.
43 is not divisible by 5 because it does not end in 0 or 5.
43 is not divisible by 7, as 43 ÷ 7 ≈ 6.14, which is not an integer.
Since 43 is not divisible by any primes smaller than it, 43 is a prime number.

Thus, the prime factorization of 86 is:

2 × 43.