Chapter 2: Factors and Multiples

2.1 Factors, Prime Factors and Highest Common Factor (HCF)

➢ What are factors?

Factors of a number are whole numbers that can divide the number completely.

Example:
Determine whether
a) 9 is a factor of 63. b) 8 is a factor of 21
c) 4 is a factor of 16 d) 10 is a factor of 105

Solution

a) 63 ÷ 9 = 7 b) 21 cannot be divide completely by 8.

Thus, 9 is a factor of 63. Thus, 8 is not a factor of 21.
c) 16 ÷ 4 = 4
d) 105 cannot be divide completely by 10.
Thus, 4 is a factor of 16. Thus, 10 is not a factor of 105.

➢ What are prime factors?

Prime factors are factors of a number that are, themselves, prime numbers.

List of prime number= {2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, …..}

Example:

a) List all the prime factors of 24. b) List all the prime factors of 32.
24 ÷ 2 = 12 1. Start by dividing 24 by the 32 ÷ 2 = 16 1. Start by dividing 32 by the
12 ÷ 2 = 6 smallest prime number. smallest prime number.
16 ÷ 2 = 8
6÷2=3 2. Division is continued until the 2. Division is continued until the
quotient is 1. 8÷2=4
quotient is 1.
3÷3=1 4÷2=2
2 and 3 is prime number. Thus, 2 and 3 is prime factors of 24. 2÷2=1

2 is a prime number. Thus, 2 is prime factor of 32.

➢ What are common factors?

A common factor is a number that can be divided into two different numbers, without leaving a
remainder.
Example:

Determine whether

a) 5 is a common factor of 35 and 20. b) 9 is a common factor of 45 and 64.

35 ÷ 5 = 7 45 ÷ 9 = 5
35 and 20 can be divided 64 cannot be divided
completely by 5. completely by 9.
20 ÷ 5 = 4 64 ÷ 9 = 7 remainder 1
Thus, 5 is a common factor of 35 and 20. Thus, 9 is not common factor of 45 and 64.

➢ Highest common factor (HCF)?

Example:

Determine the highest common factor of

a) 16 and 32
Step 1: List all the common factors of 16 and 32.
Factors of 16: 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 16
Factors of 32: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32
Step 2: Find the highest common factor of 16 and 32.
Therefore, HCF of 16 and 32 is 16.
b) 12 and 60
Step 1: List all the common factors of 12 and 60.
Factors of 12: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12
Factors of 60: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 30, 60
Step 2: Find the highest common factor of 12 and 60.
Therefore, HCF of 12 and 60 is 12.

2.2 Multiples, Common Multiples and Lowest Common Multiple (LCM)

➢ What are common multiples?

Note that: 4× 1 = 4
4×2=8
4 × 3 = 12

The number 4 is multiplied by 1, 2, 3, … to give the products of 4, 8, 12, …

4, 8, 12, … are known as multiples of 4.
Example:
Determine whether
a) 24 is a common multiple of 2 and 4.
24 ÷ 2 = 12
24 ÷ 4 = 6
Thus, 24 is a common multiple of 2 and 4.
b) 30 is a common multiple of 5 and 7.
30 ÷ 5 = 6
30 ÷ 7 = 4 remainder 2
Thus, 30 is not a common multiple of 5 and 7.
➢ Lowest common multiple (LCM)?

Example:

Determine the lowest common multiple of

a)2 and 4 b) 4 and 8

Step 1: List all the common multiple of 2 and 4.
Multiple of 2: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, …
Multiple of 4: 4, 8, 12, 16, …
Step 2: Find the lowest common multiple (LCM) of 2 and 4.
Therefore, LCM of 2 and 4 is 4.
Step 1: List all the common multiple of 4,
and 8.
Multiple of 4: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, …
Multiple of 8: 8, 16, 24, 32, …
Step 2: Find the lowest common multiple
(LCM) of 4 and 8.

Therefore, LCM of 4 and 8 is 16.