A factor pair consists of two numbers that, when multiplied together, produce a specific product. Each number in the pair is a factor of that product. For example, the factor pairs of 20 include (1, 20), (2, 10), and (4, 5) because 1 × 20 = 20, 2 × 10 = 20, and 4 × 5 = 20
. Key points about factor pairs:
- Every number has at least one factor pair: 1 and itself.
- A number can have multiple factor pairs.
- Prime numbers have exactly one factor pair: 1 and the number itself.
- Factor pairs can include negative numbers if their product is positive (e.g., -3 and -6 are factor pairs of 18)
In summary, factor pairs are pairs of numbers multiplied to get a given number, showing how the number can be factored into two components.
