1. **State the problem:** We want to factor the expression $x^2$. 2. **Recall the factoring rule:** Factoring means expressing a polynomial as a product of simpler polynomials. 3. **Apply the rule to $x^2$:** Since $x^2 = x \times x$, it is already factored into the product of $x$ and $x$. 4. **Final factored form:** $$x^2 = x \cdot x$$ This is the simplest factorization of $x^2$ because it is a perfect square of $x$.