Factors of 12

Step by step

The question

Question: find the factors of 12.

A factor of 12 is a whole number that goes into 12 exactly.

Nothing is left over.

1 Find the factor pairs

We start with 1.

1 goes into every number: 1 times 12 is 12.

Each number that goes in comes with a partner.

12 divided by 2 is 6.

Nothing is left over.

So 2 times 6 is 12.

12 divided by 3 is 4.

Nothing is left over.

So 3 times 4 is 12.

Next is 4.

But 4 times 4 is 16, more than 12.

From here the pairs only repeat.

So we stop.

2 List them in order

Now we write them from small to big.

First the orange numbers, going down.

Then the purple numbers, going up.

So 12 has 6 factors: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 12.

Let's look back.

First: find the factor pairs.

Last: list them in order.