How do we find the factors that build a number?
Number Building Blocks
How do we find the factors that build a number?
Every number is a little building. And like any building, it's made of smaller blocks stacked together in a particular way. The question is: how do we pull a number apart to see exactly which blocks it's made of?
First, a definition you can carry the whole way. A factor is a number that divides evenly into another number, with nothing left over. Ask of 12: "Does 3 fit into you cleanly?" Yes — 3 × 4 = 12. So 3 and 4 are both factors of 12. No crumbs, no remainder.
