How do you come up with factors for numbers?

Answer 1

If its an even number it will divide by '2'

If it end in '0' or '5' it will dividfe by '5'.

If neither of them work, then try '3' followed by '7'.

Fiunally if the duguts of a number sum to '9' , then it will divide , '9'.

e.g. Factors of 24.

It ends in an even number '4'

So

2)24 = 12

Keep on dividing by '2'

2)12 = 6

2)6 = 3

Since it is now an odd number , use '3'.

3. 3 = 1

So all the factors of 24 are 2,2,2,& 3.

Try say , 15

Since it ends in '5' it will divide by '5'

Hence 5)15 = 3

No further division by '5' , then use '3'

3. 3 = 1

Hence the factors of 15 are 3,5.

Hence try '81'

8 + 1 = 9

So 9)81 = 9

9'9' is factor of '3'

Hence 3) 9 = 3

3)3 = 1

Since there two x '9' we must do this asecond time.

Hence 3)9 = 3

3)3 = 1

Hence the factortsd of 81 ar 3,3,3,&3.

NB When testing for factors, always use prime numbers. 2,3,5,7,11,13,,17 ,19 etc.,

Answer 2

There are a few ways to go about factoring. You can decide what works best for you. I always find the prime factorization first. Let's look at a random number: 108

The prime factorization can be found by using a factor tree.

108

54,2

27,2,2

9,3,2,2

3,3,3,2,2

2^2 x 3^3 = 108

Half of the factors will be less than the square root, half greater. If the number is a perfect square, there will be an equal number of factors on either side of the square root. In this case, the square root is between 10 and 11.

Adding one to the exponents of the prime factorization and multiplying them will tell you how many factors there are. In this case, the exponents are 2 and 3. Add one to each. 3 x 4 = 12

108 has 12 factors. Six of them are 10 or less, six of them are 11 or greater. All we have to do is divide the numbers one through ten into 108. If the result (quotient) turns out to be an integer, you've found a factor pair. Knowing the rules of divisibility will make that even easier.

108 is divisible by...

1 because everything is.

2 because it's even.

3 because its digits add up to a multiple of 3.

4 because its last two digits are a multiple of 4.

6 because it's a multiple of 2 and 3.

9 because its digits add up to a multiple of 9.

That's six factors less than 10. Divide them into 108. That's the rest of them.

(108,1)(54,2)(36,3)(27,4)(18,6)(12,9)

1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18, 27, 36, 54, 108

Notice that all of those numbers, except for 1, can also be found in the prime factorization.

Answer 3

You figure out a number's factors by figuring out what can be multiplied by any number to equal that number, like the factors of 10 are 1, 2, 5, and 10. :D