Question What is the prime factorization of 56 ? Use the \( \times \) button or type the * key on your keyboard. For exponents, use the \( a^{b} \) button or the key on your keyboard. If a number is prime, enter the number itself. Answer Attempt 1 out of 2 \( 56= \)

To find the prime factorization of 56, we start by dividing it by the smallest prime number, which is 2. Since 56 is even, we have: \( 56 \div 2 = 28 \). Next, we divide 28 by 2 again: \( 28 \div 2 = 14 \). Dividing 14 by 2 gives us: \( 14 \div 2 = 7 \). Now, we can’t divide by 2 anymore, but 7 is a prime number. This gives us the prime factorization: \( 56 = 2^3 \times 7 \). Also, did you know that prime factorization is not just a math concept? It’s like the secret sauce for cryptography! Many encryption algorithms rely on the difficulty of breaking down large numbers into their prime factors—making your online transactions super secure!