Shell Script to Find Prime Factors of a Number

In number theory, the prime factors of a positive integer are the

prime numbers that divide that integer exactly, without leaving a
remainder. The process of finding these numbers is called integer
factorization, or prime factorization.
The fundamental theorem of arithmetic says that every positive
integer has a unique prime factorization.
Example:
The prime factors of 330 are 2, 3, 5 and 11:
330 = 2 3 5 11
There is no other possible set of prime numbers that can be
multiplied to make 330.
You can find prime factors of a number using UNIX/Linux utility
factor. This is a very convenient and cool UNIX command.
Here is its syntax:
$ factor
330: 2 3
$ factor
2121977:

330
5 11
2121977
11 11 13 19 71

Many Algorithms have been devised for determining the Prime factors
of a given number. They vary quite a bit in sophistication and
complexity. It is very difficult to build a general-purpose
algorithm for this computationally "hard" problem, so any additional
information which is known about the number in question or its
factors can often be used to save a large amount of time.
Here I am providing a shell script to find prime factors of a
positive integer. This script does most factorizations within a
second. In the worst case scenario (for some large semi-primes with

more than 6-digit factors) factorization will take a couple of

minutes to hours.
#!/bin/bash
# SCRIPT: primefactors.sh
# USAGE : primefactors.sh <Positive Integer>
# PURPOSE: Produces prime factors of a given number.
#
####################################################################
#
Arguments Checking
####################################################################
if [ $# -ne 1 ]
then
echo "Usage: scriptname <Positive Integer>"
exit 1
fi
expr $1 + 1 &>/dev/null
if [ $? -ne 0 ]
then
echo "Sorry, You supplied non numerical value"
exit 1
fi
[ $1 -lt 2 ] && echo "Values < 2 are not prime numbers" && exit 1
num=$1
####################################################################
#
Functions
####################################################################
# To know how to find prime number check bellow link:
# Shell script to find prime number
# Bellow function finds supplied argument is a prime or not.
primenumber()
{
primenum=$1
for ((counter2=2;$((counter2*counter2))<=$primenum;counter2++))
do
if [ $((primenum%counter2)) -eq 0 ]
then
return 1
fi
done
return 0
}
primefind()
{
# It's good to check that the number it self is a prime or not
before going to
# find prime factors of a number. Comment out bellow line and supply
a prime
# number or semi-prime, you will find the difference.
# Ex: primefactors.sh 2121979
primenumber $1 && echo "$1" && exit 0
for ((counter1=$2;counter1<=$1;counter1++))
do

primenumber $counter1 && factorcheck $1 $counter1 && break

done
}
factorcheck()
{
prime=$2
newnum=$1
remainder=$((newnum%prime))
if [ $remainder -eq 0 ]
then
printf "%dx" $prime
newnum=$((newnum/prime))
primefind $newnum 2
return
else
let prime++
primefind $newnum $prime
fi
}
####################################################################
#
Main
####################################################################
echo -n "Prime Factors of $1:
primefind $num 2
printf "\b \n"
# \b is used for removing last x.
OUTPUT:
[root@venu ]# sh primefactors.sh
Usage: scriptname <positive integer="">
[root@venu ]# sh primefactors.sh 21219797
Prime Factors of 21219797: 101x210097
[root@venu ]# sh primefactors.sh 212197
Prime Factors of 212197: 443x479
Running time of script doesn't depend on number,it depends on number
of factors,
more factors less time and less factors more time.
[root@venu ]# time sh primefactors.sh 9999999999999999
Prime Factors of 9999999999999999: 3x3x11x17x73x101x137x5882353
real
user
sys

0m1.345s
0m1.225s
0m0.091s

[root@venu ]# time sh primefactors.sh 999999999995

Prime Factors of 999999999995: 5x251x1831x435179
real
user
sys

1m32.105s
1m28.866s
0m3.192s

[root@venu ]# time sh primefactors.sh 99999999000000000

Prime Factors of 99999999000000000:

2x2x2x2x2x2x2x2x2x3x3x5x5x5x5x5x5x5x5x5x11x7
3x101x137
real
user
sys

0m0.543s
0m0.508s
0m0.035s