Aluminum Chloride naming in today's review

[Megan Singer 3D]

Since Aluminum Chloride is a molecular compound, why wouldn't we name it Aluminum trichloride as following the naming rules for molecular compounds? Can all molecular compounds be named without the prefixes for each element?

[Ryan Laureano 3I]

I'm pretty sure the prefixes are used to specify the number of atoms. Without the prefixes, the name would just refer to the elements within the compound.

[Rose_Malki_3G]

Because this bond is ionic, you do not use prefixes in naming it

[Eliot Kagan 2G]

Since it is an ionic compound, we don't use the prefixes because we can find out the number by checking their respective charges. We use prefixes in covalent bonds because the number of atoms in the molecule is more ambiguous.

[Megan Singer 3D]

From what I've seen online Aluminium chloride is actually polar covalent because of the high polarizing power of Al3+. However, I think because Al always has an oxidation state of 3+, it's implied that there are 3 chlorines.