What is the prime factorization of 72?

The correct answer would be or 2 x 2 x 2 x 3 x 3. This multiplies out to be 72. I arrived at this answer by first dividing 72 by 6, which left me with a 6 and a 12 to be factored. 12 was then factored into 6 and 2.

The two sixes were factored into two and three. This left me with three twos and two threes.

2 x 2 x 2 x 3 x 3 is the correct answer. 2 x 2 is 4 x 2 is 8 x 3 is 24 x 3 is 72, but with the extra 3 its 72 x 3= 216