WorkedMathGlossary

Factors of 12

The factors of 12 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12. No, 12 is a composite number. Its prime factorization is 2^2 × 3.

Factors of 12
1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12
6 factors
Prime or Composite
Composite
Perfect Square
No
Prime Factorization
2^2 × 3
Sum of Factors
28 (16 without 12 itself)

Factor pairs of 12

Every factor has a partner that multiplies with it to give 12. Listing pairs from the outside in is the fastest way to find all the factors: once the two numbers in a pair meet in the middle, you have them all.

PairCheck
1 and 121 × 12 = 12
2 and 62 × 6 = 12
3 and 43 × 4 = 12

Prime factorization of 12, step by step

Divide by the smallest prime that goes in evenly, then repeat on the result until you reach 1. The divisors you used are the prime factors.

StepDivideResult
112 ÷ 26
26 ÷ 23
33 ÷ 31

So 12 = 2 × 2 × 3, written compactly as 2^2 × 3.

Divisibility checks for 12

The quick rules a student uses before dividing, applied to 12:

Divisible byRuleFor 12Result
2last digit is evenlast digit 2yes
3digit sum divisible by 3digits add to 3yes
4last two digits divisible by 412 ÷ 4yes
5last digit is 0 or 5last digit 2no
6divisible by both 2 and 3even, digit sum 3yes
8last three digits divisible by 812 ÷ 8no
9digit sum divisible by 9digits add to 3no
10last digit is 0last digit 2no

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the factors of 12?

The factors of 12 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12.

Is 12 a prime number?

No, 12 is a composite number. Its prime factorization is 2^2 × 3.

How many factors does 12 have?

12 has 6 factors. You can get that count from the prime factorization without listing them: add 1 to each exponent in 2^2 × 3 and multiply -- (2+1) × (1+1) = 6.

Is 12 even or odd?

12 is even (2 is one of its factors).

What is the sum of the factors of 12?

1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 6 + 12 = 28. Leaving out 12 itself, the proper factors add to 16, more than 12, so 12 is an abundant number.

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