Step by step
The question
Question: find the factors of 48.
A factor of 48 is a whole number that goes into 48 exactly.
Nothing is left over.
1 Find the factor pairs
We start with 1.
1 goes into every number: 1 times 48 is 48.
Each number that goes in comes with a partner.
48 divided by 2 is 24.
Nothing is left over.
So 2 times 24 is 48.
48 divided by 3 is 16.
Nothing is left over.
So 3 times 16 is 48.
48 divided by 4 is 12.
Nothing is left over.
So 4 times 12 is 48.
Does 5 go in?
48 divided by 5 is 9, with 3 left over.
So 5 is not a factor.
48 divided by 6 is 8.
Nothing is left over.
So 6 times 8 is 48.
Next is 7.
But 7 times 7 is 49, more than 48.
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 48 has 10 factors: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24 and 48.
Let's look back.
First: find the factor pairs.
Last: list them in order.