Page 68 - Maths Class 04

5 Factors and Multiples

Factors

Factors are the numbers which when multiplied give the product.

Factors can also be used to determine how quantities can be divided equally

into smaller groups.

Example : 18 ÷ 2 = 9

This statement can be converted into the multiplication fact 9 × 2 = 18.

This multiplication fact shows that 9 and 2 are factors of 18.

Factors of a number will divide that number exactly, without leaving any
remainder.

Thus, it can be said that in a product, each number that is multiplied is a
factor of the product.

Factors of numbers can be found by two methods :

1. Using multiplication

2. Using division

Using Multiplication

All the numbers used to build a product are the factors of that product.

Let us find the factors of 18.

1 × 18 = 18

2 × 9 = 18

3 × 6 = 18

Therefore, the factors of 18 are 1, 2, 3, 9 and 18.

Using Division

In this method, divide the given number by 1, 2, 3, etc. and find out which
numbers can divide the given number exactly without leaving any remainder.

Mathematics-4 68