Question

How do you find the common factors of a number?

Answer 1

you look at their factors and pick out the ones they have in common .....

Answer 2

and the use of the term is a little off; common factors need 2 or more numbers to compare

Answer 3

the common factors of a number has no meaning

Answer 4

in common?

Answer 5

what are the common factors of 3? .... the sentence makes no sense.

Answer 6

what factors do 3 and 6 have in common? that makes sense

Answer 7

110 and 484

Answer 8

i can see why your having trouble forming sentences. should i assume you want to know how to find the common factors between 110 and 484?

Answer 9

Yes.

Answer 10

im a mind reader lol

Answer 11

well, we start by finding out all the numbers that are factors fo 110; then do the same for 484

Answer 12

I want to reduce a fraction but I need to take baby steps getting there.

Answer 13

do you know what a factor is?

Answer 14

And how is that?

Answer 15

a number?

Answer 16

it a property of a number

Answer 17

but if your reducing a fraction, you aint got to go that deep at it

Answer 18

is your fraction by chance 110/484?

Answer 19

Yes.

Answer 20

we can start simple then; all even number can be split in half. divided by 2. Are both these numbers even?

Answer 21

yes

Answer 22

then one step in reducing would be to divide them both in half :)

110/2 55
----- = ---- right?
484/2 242

Answer 23

yes ive been reducing all my problems by 2 but i dont know where to stop

Answer 24

if theyre even that is

Answer 25

if they are even you stop when they become odd; like this one has, and since its smaller we can see if there are any other numbers now

Answer 26

when you see 55, what the first thing that comes to mind as a factor? well, maybe the first 2 things

Answer 27

so once it becomes odd do i continue reducing by odd?

Answer 28

right, you find some odd value till you reach the smallest number

Answer 29

oh ok

Answer 30

it also helps to know a few patterns in numbers.

the 11s time tables are interesting for that

Answer 31

when you see a number that has 3 parts; and the outers add to the middle; there is a factor of 11 involved. do you know what i mean by all that?

Answer 32

when i divide 55 and 3 i get a strange answer

Answer 33

then 3 aint it, try 5

Answer 34

and no

Answer 35

oh ok

Answer 36

well 242 aint got a 5 or 0 on the end of it so 5 is out' try 7

Answer 37

ok

Answer 38

then 9 then finally 11 :) and 11 will work

Answer 39

thanks, thats was magical. was really stressing.

Answer 40

55/11 5
------ = --- ; and that should be it
242/11 22

Answer 41

yep thats what i got.

Answer 42

youre welcome; sometimes you just have to fight it to the end

Answer 43

Quick Factor Tips (if you don't get a calculator)
2: Is the number even?
3: Do all the digits add up to a multiple of 3? 156 is divisible by 3. 1+5+6=12. 12 is a recognizable multiple of 3.
4: Are the last 2 digits divisible by 4? Multiples of 4 repeat every 100. Honestly, they cycle every 20. Take 584. This is divisible by 4 because 4 goes into 84 evenly. Take 1174. This is not divisible by 4 because 74 is not divisible. You could subtract 60 (a multiple of 20) from 74. 74-60=14. 14 is not divisible by 4.
5: Is the last number a 5 or 0?
6: Is the number divisible by both 2 and 3?
7: You have to use long division.
8: Similar rule to 4's, but the cycle repeats every 200 and can be blocked into groups by 40. Probably better to stick with the rule for 4's until you get used to that one.
9: Similar rule to 3's, but the sum of the digits must be a multiple of 9. Take 13653. 1+3+6+5+3=18, thus it is divisible by 9.
10: Does it end in a 0?