Factor

Definition

In mathematics, a factor is a number that divides into another number exactly and with no remainder. Factors are used in many mathematical operations and are an important concept in arithmetic and number theory.

The factors of a number can be found by dividing the number by each of the numbers less than it. For example, the factors of 12 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12 because each of these numbers divides into 12 exactly and with no remainder.

A factor can also be thought of as a number that is multiplied by another number to get a product. For example, in the expression 3 x 4 = 12, 3 and 4 are factors of 12 because they multiply together to give 12.