Answer
$144=2\times2\times3\times2\times2\times3$
Work Step by Step
Start with the original number, 144.
144 can be divided by 12, so factor it out:
$12\times12$
12 can be divided by 4 and 3, so factor these out of each 12.
$(4\times3)\times(4\times3)$
3 is a prime number, so there is no more factoring of it, but 4 is composite, so factor a two out of each four:
$[(2\times2)\times3]\times[(2\times2)\times3]$
Make sure that the expression equals 144.
$4\times3\times4\times3$
$12\times12$
$144$
