Factors and Multiples

Imagine you have 12 ladoos 🍬 to share with your friends at a party. You want to share them equally without breaking any ladoo. How many friends can you invite so that everyone gets the same number of ladoos?

Let's find out by learning about Factors and Multiples!

Factors are numbers that divide another number exactly without leaving any remainder.
For example, factors of 12 are numbers that divide 12 exactly.

Multiples are numbers you get when you multiply a number by 1, 2, 3, and so on.
For example, multiples of 4 are 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, ...

📌 Remember:
• A factor divides the number exactly.
• A multiple is the result of multiplying the number.

• Factor Rule: If a divides b exactly, then a is a factor of b.
• Multiple Rule: If b = a × n (where n is a whole number), then b is a multiple of a.
• Every number has 1 and itself as factors.
• 0 is a multiple of every number.

The number 1 is a special factor! It is a factor of every number in the world. And guess what? In India, the number 108 is considered very lucky and sacred. It has many factors — 108 can be divided by 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18, 27, 36, 54, and 108! So, 108 is a very "friendly" number with many factors! 🎉

• Check division carefully: To find factors, divide the number and see if remainder is zero.
• List multiples step-by-step: Multiply the number by 1, 2, 3... to avoid mistakes.
• Don't forget 1 and the number itself: These are always factors!
• Watch out for tricky questions: Sometimes they ask for common factors or common multiples of two numbers.
• Practice with Indian examples: Like sharing sweets or arranging rangoli patterns in rows and columns.