What Does "Factor" Mean in Math?

In mathematics, a factor is a number or algebraic expression that divides another number or expression evenly-meaning with no remainder.

More specifically:

• A factor of a number is any number that divides it exactly.
  For example, factors of 12 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12 because each divides 12 without leaving a remainder.

• In algebra, a factor is an expression that multiplies with others to get a product.
  For example, in the expression (x+2)(x−3)=x2−x−6(x+2)(x-3)=x^2-x-6(x+2)(x−3)=x2−x−6, both (x+2)(x+2)(x+2) and (x−3)(x-3)(x−3) are factors of the quadratic expression x2−x−6x^2-x-6x2−x−6.

Why are factors important?

• They help in simplifying expressions.
• They are used in solving equations.
• They play a key role in prime factorization and number theory.
• They assist in finding greatest common divisors (GCD) and least common multiples (LCM).

If you'd like, I can provide examples or explain how to find factors!