Find the prime factorization of 36

1. Start by dividing 36 by the smallest prime number:
36 \div 2 = 18

2. Next, divide the result by the smallest prime number again:
18 \div 2 = 9

3. Since 9 is not divisible by 2, proceed with the next smallest prime number:
9 \div 3 = 3

4. Finally, divide the remaining 3 by itself:
3 \div 3 = 1

So, the prime factorization of 36 is:
36 = 2^2 \times 3^2