The following procedure can be used to determine the number of factors (or divisors) of a composite number. Write the number in prime factorization form. Examine the exponents on the prime numbers in the prime factorization. Add 1 to each exponent and then find the product of these numbers. This product gives the number of positive factors of the composite number. For example, the prime factorization of 75 is 3 • 5². The exponents on the prime factors are 1 and 2. Therefore, 75 has (1 + 1) • (2+1) = 2 • 3 or 6 positive factors (the factors are 1, 3, 5, 15, 25, and 75).

(a) Use this procedure to determine the number of positive factors of 60.

(b) To check your answer, list all the positive factors of 60. You should obtain the same number of factors found in part (a).