Factoring Numbers

Question

What are the factors of 27,720?

Answer

STEP 1:    The numbers which when multiplied together gives another number are called factors. By this definition, we understand that the factors of 27,720 are those numbers which on multiplication gives the product 27,720.

STEP 2:    Since the number is bigger, it might have lots of factors. So, it will be helpful if we could break it as a product of prime numbers. Now, the term prime numbers refer to those numbers which are only divisible by 1 and itself.
The number 2 is repeated thrice and the number 3 is repeated twice, which are the common factors. The other numbers-5, 7 and 11, have been used only once.

STEP 3:    The prime factors of the number 27,720 are 2, 3, 5, 7, and 11.