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Factors:
A factor is a number that divides evenly into another number without leaving a remainder.
For example, the factors of 6 are 1, 2, 3, and 6 because they can all be multiplied together to equal 6.
Factors can be found by dividing the number by all possible factors starting from 1 and going up to the
number itself.
Multiples:
A multiple is a number that can be divided by another number without leaving a remainder.
For example, the multiples of 3 are 3, 6, 9, 12, and so on because they can all be divided by 3 without leaving
a remainder.
Multiples can be found by multiplying the number by all possible whole numbers starting from 1.
Primes:
A prime number is a number greater than 1 that has no factors other than 1 and itself.
For example, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, and 13 are all prime numbers because they cannot be divided evenly by any other
number besides 1 and themselves.
Prime numbers are important in number theory and are used in encryption algorithms.
Composites:
A composite number is a number that has factors other than 1 and itself.
For example, 4, 6, 8, 9, and 10 are all composite numbers because they can be divided evenly by numbers
other than 1 and themselves.
Composite numbers can be broken down into their factors to find all the numbers that can divide evenly into
them.
Exercise 1: Factors
1. Find all the factors of the number 12
2. Find all the factors of the number 20
3. Find all the factors of the number 18
Exercise 2: Multiples
1. List the first 5 multiples of 5
2. List the first 6 multiples of 8
3. List the first 7 multiiples of 3.
Prime factorization is involves writing numbers as the product of its prime factors. For example, the
prime factorization of 24 is 2 x 2 x 2 x 3.
Prime factorization is important in many mathematical concepts, such as finding the greatest common
factor, least common multiple, and simplifying fractions.
Understanding prime factors and prime factorization can help in solving various math problems and
understanding the relationships between numbers.
Exercise 1: Find the prime factors
1. Find the prime factors of the number 42, 56 and 90
The Highest Common Factor (HCF) of two or more numbers is the largest number that divides each of
the numbers evenly.
The HCF is also known as the Greatest Common Divisor (GCD) in some contexts.
To find the HCF of two or more numbers, you can use different methods such as prime factorization,
listing the factors, or using the Euclidean algorithm.
One common method to find the HCF is by using prime factorization. Find the prime factors of each
number and then identify the common prime factors. The product of these common prime factors gives
the HCF
For example, to find the HCF of 24 and 36:
Prime factors of 24: 2 x 2 x 2 x 3
Prime factors of 36: 2 x 2 x 3 x 3
The common prime factors are 2 x 2 x 3 = 12, so the HCF of 24 and 36 is 12.
The HCF is useful in simplifying fractions, finding the equivalent fractions, and solving various
mathematical problems.
It is easier to list the multiples the multiples of each number and then identify the lowest common multiple.
Prime numbers are number greater than 1 that have only two factors: 1 and the number itself. For
example, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17 are prime numbers.
Composite numbers are numbers greater than 1 that have more than two factors. In other words,
composite numbers are divisible by numbers other than 1 and itself. For example, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12 are
composite numbers.
The number 1 is not considered a prime number because it only has one factor (itself).
Every composite number can be expressed as a product of prime numbers. This is known as the
Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic.
The number 2 is the only even prime number. All other even numbers are composite because they are
divisible by 2.
To determine if a number if prime or composite, you can test divisibility by checking if it has factors
other than 1 and itself. If it has factors, it is composite; if it has only two factors, it is prime.
Prime numbers play a crucial role in number theory, cryptography, and various mathematical
algorithms.
Finding prime numbers is important in generating secure encryption keys for secure communication.
The Sieve of Eratosthenesis is a popular method to find prime numbers up to a certain limit. It involves
systematically eliminating composite numbers from a list of numbers.
Understanding prime and composite numbers helps in factorization, simplifying fractions, and solving
problems related to factors and multiples. Understanding the distinction between prime and composite
numbers is fundamental in number theory and has many practical applications in mathematics and
computer science.
An exponent represents how many times a number is multiplied by itself. For example, 23 means 2
multiplied by itself three times, resulting in 2 x 2 x 2 = 8.
Squares are numbers raised to the power of 2. For example, 42 = 4 x 4 = 16. The result of squaring a
number is called the square of that number.
Cubes are numbers raised to the power of 3. For example, 3^3 = 3 x 3 x 3 = 27. The result of cubing a
number is called the cube of that number.
Exponents can also be negative, indicating the reciprocal of the base raised to that power. For example,
2 ^-1 = ½ and 3^-2 = 1/9.
Exponential notation can be used to represent large numbers easily. For instance, 10^6 represents a
million (1,000,000).
Exponents follow certain rules, such as the product rule (a^m x a^n = a^(m*n)).
Expressions with exponents can be simplified using these rules and understanding the properties of
exponents.
Exponents have application in various fields, including mathematics, physics, and engineering, to
represent repeated multiplication and calculate large quantities efficiently.
Understanding exponents is essential for solving problems involving exponential growth, compound
interest, scientific notation, and many other mathematical concepts. Exploring the properties and
applications of exponents, including squares, cubes and higher powers, is crucial for developing a strong
foundation in mathematics. Practice applying exponent rules and simplifying expressions to enhance
your skills in this area.