Factor
GMAT glossary · Verbal Reasoning
Definition
An integer that divides another integer evenly.
Factor in plain English
A factor of a number is any whole number that divides into it cleanly, with nothing left over. For example, the factors of 12 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12, because each one splits 12 into equal groups with no remainder, but 5 is not a factor, since 12 div 5 leaves a leftover. A good way to picture it: if you can arrange 12 chairs into equal rows, the number of chairs per row is a factor. Factors are the building blocks of a number, which is why they show up everywhere in math.
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