Factors and Multiples Explained
Multiples are simply the times tables you already know! When you multiply any whole number by 6, you get the multiples of 6: 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, and so on. Think of multiples as a number's "family" - they're all related because they can be divided by the original number without leaving any remainder.
Here's a handy trick: to check if one number is a multiple of another, just divide them. If you get a whole number with no remainder, you've found a multiple! You can also use divisibility rules as shortcuts.
Factors work the other way round - they're the numbers that multiply together to create your target number. For example, 28 has factor pairs like 1ร28, 2ร14, and 4ร7. So the factors of 28 are: 1, 2, 4, 7, 14, and 28.
Prime factorisation breaks any number down to its most basic building blocks - prime numbers only. Take 30: you can split it into 2ร3ร5, and since 2, 3, and 5 are all prime numbers, you're done! It's like finding the "DNA" of a number.
Quick Check: Remember that every number is both a factor and a multiple of itself!