Level 3-4 Algebra - Factors

If you are studying KS3 Maths then you should be familiar with factors. Ever since you learned your times tables you've been dealing with factors. And now you have moved on to algebra you'll find factors very useful.

The factors of a number are the numbers that divide exactly into it. Basically, if a number appears in any of the times tables then the number of the times table is a factor of it. For example, 64 appears in the 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 times tables so those numbers are all factors of 64.

You can divide any number into any other number but it is a factor only if the result is a whole number. So, one way to work out if a number is a factor of another is to divide the larger number by the smaller. If the answer is a whole number then it is a factor - if the answer is not a whole number then it is not a factor.

That all sounds quite simple doesn't it? To see if you've found your way around factors, have a go at this quiz. Take your time and read every question carefully!