what does factor mean in math

A factor in math is a whole number that divides another number exactly, with no remainder.

Simple meaning

• If a number aaa goes into a number bbb evenly (no remainder), then aaa is a factor of bbb.

• In multiplication, the numbers you multiply together are called factors, and the answer is called the product.

Example:

• Factors of 10 are 1, 2, 5, and 10 because:
  • 10÷1=1010\div 1=1010÷1=10
  • 10÷2=510\div 2=510÷2=5
  • 10÷5=210\div 5=210÷5=2
  • 10÷10=110\div 10=110÷10=1
    All of these divide with no remainder.

So when someone asks “what does factor mean in math,” they usually mean:

A factor is a whole number that divides another number completely, or one of the numbers being multiplied to make that number.