What is a Factor of a Number?

A factor of a number is a whole number that can be multiplied by another whole number to get the original number. In other words, if you have a number N , a factor is any number F such that: N÷F=an integer (no remainder)N\div F=\text{an integer (no remainder)}N÷F=an integer (no remainder)

Example:

• Factors of 12 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12 because:
  • 12 ÷ 1 = 12
  • 12 ÷ 2 = 6
  • 12 ÷ 3 = 4
  • 12 ÷ 4 = 3
  • 12 ÷ 6 = 2
  • 12 ÷ 12 = 1

Each of these divisions results in a whole number without any remainder, so all these numbers are factors of 12.

Summary:

• Factors are numbers you multiply together to get another number.
• They divide the number evenly without leaving a remainder.
• Every number has at least two factors: 1 and itself.

If you'd like, I can also explain related concepts like prime factors or how to find factors efficiently!