Factors of 4: Prime Factorization & Factors in Pairs

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Muskan Shafi

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Factors of 4 are a list of numbers that can be evenly divided into 4. Factors of 4 are those numbers than can divide 4 exactly without leaving any remainder. There are three factors of 4 which are 1, 2, and 4.The prime factorization of 4 is 2 x 2 where 2 is the only prime factor of 4. 4 is a unique number as it is the smallest composite number and the smallest square of a prime number which is 2. The pair factors of 4 are the set of two numbers that give 4 as the product on multiplication with each other. The factors of 2 in pairs are (1, 4) and (2, 2).

Key Terms: Factors of 4, Remainder, Prime Factorization, Composite Number, Pair Factors, Multiplication, Prime Factor, Prime Number


What are Factors of 4?

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Factors of 4 are integers that divide 4 completely leaving zero as the remainder. If we multiply a pair of numbers together, and they result in the original number 4, the numbers are the factors of 4. 4 is an even composite number which implies that it has more than two factors. There are 3 factors of 4 in total. 1, 2, and 4 are the factors of 4. 

Factors of 4: 1, 2, 4

Factors of 4

Factors of 4


How to Calculate Factors of 4?

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4 is the smallest composite number which makes it very easy for one to calculate the factors of 4. The factors of 4 can be calculated using two methods which are: 

  • Division Method
  • Prime Factorization Method

The division method and the prime factorization method would give the same number of factors which are 1, 2, and 4.


Factors of 4 by Division Method

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The factors of 4 are found through the division method by dividing the number 4 by different numbers. The numbers that divide 4 exactly and leave the remainder of 0 are the factors of 4. 

  • 4/1 = 4 (Factor is 1; Remainder is 0)
  • 4/2 = 2 (Factor is 2; Remainder is 0)
  • 4/4 = 1 (Factor is 4; Remainder is 0)

Any other number than1, 2, and 4 will leave a remainder on dividing 4. Thus, the factors of 4 are 1, 2, and 4.

Read More: HCF


Factors of 4 by Prime Factorization

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Prime Factorization of 4 refers to the process of writing the number 4 as the product of its prime factors. Here are the steps to calculate the factors of 4 through prime factorization: 

  • Take a pair factor of 4, for instance, (1, 4)
  • We know that the number 1 cannot be split further. So, we will take the other number which is 4.
  • 4 is an even composite number that can be further factored as the product of 2 and 2. 
  • Thus, 4 can be written as 2 × 2.
  • Now, we can not factorize 2 further. Thus, the prime factorization of 4 is 2 × 2 or 22.

Prime Factorization of 4

Prime Factorization of 4

Read More: Prime Number Formula


Factors of 4 in Pairs

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Pair Factors of 4 refers to the pair of numbers, which on multiplication together results in 4. The pair factors of 4 can be positive as well as negative. The negative pair factors are also considered as they would give the value of 4 in positive only on multiplication with each other. 

Positive Pair Factors of 4

The positive pair factors of 4 are (1, 4) and (2, 2).

Positive Factors of 4 Positive Pair Factors of 4
1 × 4 (1, 4)
2 × 2 (2, 2)

Negative Pair Factors of 4

The negative pair factors of 4 are (-1, -4) and (-2, -2).

Negative Factors of 4 Negative Pair Factors of 4
-1 × -4 (-1, -4)
-2 × -2 (-2, -2)

Read More: Co Prime Numbers


Solved Examples on Factors of 4

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Example 1: List the common factors of 4 and 3.

Solution: Writing down all the factors of 4 and 3, we get

  • Factors of 4: 1, 2, and 4.
  • Factors of 3: 1, and 3.

We can see that there is only one common factor of 4 and 3 which is 1. 

Example 2: Niyati and her brother made 4 cupcakes for snacks. They want to evenly distribute the cupcakes. How many cupcakes will each of them receive?

Solution: We know that there are 4 cupcakes. It means that in order to distribute them equally among both of them. We need to divide 4 by 2. 

4/2 = 2, as 2 is a factor of 2.

Thus, both Niyati and her brother will get two cupcakes.

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Things to Remember

  • Factors of 4 are the integers that divide 4 uniformly with zero as the remainder. 
  • The number 4 has only three factors. 
  • The factors of 4 are 1, 2, and 4.
  • The prime factorization of 4 is 2 x 2.
  • 4 is the smallest composite number.
  • The factors of 4 in pairs are (1, 4) and (2, 2).
  • The sum of the factors of 4 is 7.

Sample Questions

Ques. What are the common factors of 4 and 5? (2 Marks)

Ans. Listing all the factors of 4 and 5, we get,

  • Factors of 4: 1, 2, and 4.
  • Factors of 5: 1 and 5.

Since 5 is a prime number, the only common factor of 4 and 5 is 1.

Ques. What are the common factors of 4 and 8? (2 Marks)

Ans. Writing down all the factors of 4 and 5, we get

  • Factors of 4: 1, 2, and 4.
  • Factors of 8: 1, 2, 4, and 8.

Thus, the common factors of 4 and 8 are 1, 2, and 4.

Ques. Which number gives 4 on multiplying with -2? (2 Marks)

Ans. We know that the negative factor pairs of 4 are (-1, -4), (-2, -2)

-2 × -2 = 4

Thus, when -2 is multiplied by -2, the product is given as 4.

Ques. Check whether 8 is a Factor of 4. (2 Marks)

Ans. No, 8 is not a factor of 4 as it is a multiple of 4. 8 is received when 4 is multiplied by the number 2. The multiples of 4 are 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, and so on.

Ques. What are the common factors of 48 and 4? (2 Marks)

Ans. The factors of 48 and 4 are 

  • Factors of 48: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, and 48.
  • Factors of 4: 1, 2, and 4.

Thus, the factors of 48 which are also the factors of 4 are 1, 2, and 4.

Ques. What are Factors of 4? (2 Marks)

Ans. Factors of 4 are the numbers that divide the number four completely leaving zero as the remainder. Thus, the factors of 4 are 1, 2, and 4.

Ques. Write the prime factorization of 4. (1 Mark)

Ans. The prime factorization of 4 is written as 2 ×2 or 22.

Ques. State the positive and negative pair factors of 4. (2 Marks)

Ans. The positive and negative pair factors of 4 are as follows: 

  • Positive pair factors of 4: (1, 4) and (2, 2).
  • Negative pair factors of 4: (-1, -4) and (-2, -2).

Ques. Calculate the sum of factors of 4. (2 Marks)

Ans. We know that the factors of 4 are 1, 2, and 4, thus, 

Sum of factors of 4 = 1 + 2+ 4 = 7

Thus, the sum of the factors of 4 is 7.

Ques. Check if 2 is a factor of 4. (1 Mark)

Ans. Yes, 2 is a factor of 4 as the number 4 is completely divisible by 2, and it leaves a remainder of 0.

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CBSE X Related Questions

  • 1.
    Arc \(PQ\) subtends an angle \(\theta\) at the centre of the circle with radius \(6.3 \text{ cm}\). If \(\text{Arc } PQ = 11 \text{ cm}\), then the value of \(\theta\) is

      • \(10^{\circ}\)
      • \(60^{\circ}\)
      • \(45^{\circ}\)
      • \(100^{\circ}\)

    • 2.
      Three tennis balls are just packed in a cylindrical jar. If radius of each ball is \(r\), volume of air inside the jar is

        • \(2\pi r^3\)
        • \(3\pi r^3\)
        • \(5\pi r^3\)
        • \(4\pi r^3\)

      • 3.
        Assertion (A) : If probability of happening of an event is \(0.2p\), \(p>0\), then \(p\) can't be more than 5.
        Reason (R) : \(P(\bar{E}) = 1 - P(E)\) for an event \(E\).

          • Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of the Assertion (A).
          • Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
          • Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.
          • Assertion (A) is false, but Reason (R) is true.

        • 4.
          If \(PQ\) and \(PR\) are tangents to the circle with centre \(O\) and radius \(4 \text{ cm}\) such that \(\angle QPR = 90^{\circ}\), then the length \(OP\) is

            • \(4 \text{ cm}\)
            • \(4\sqrt{2} \text{ cm}\)
            • \(8 \text{ cm}\)
            • \(2\sqrt{2} \text{ cm}\)

          • 5.
            A conical cavity of maximum volume is carved out from a wooden solid hemisphere of radius 10 cm. Curved surface area of the cavity carved out is (use \(\pi = 3.14\))

              • \(314 \sqrt{2}\) \(\text{cm}^{2}\)
              • \(314\) \(\text{cm}^{2}\)
              • \(\frac{3140}{3}\) \(\text{cm}^{2}\)
              • \(3140 \sqrt{2}\) \(\text{cm}^{2}\)

            • 6.
              Prove that: \(\frac{\sec^3 \theta}{\sec^2 \theta - 1} + \frac{\csc^3 \theta}{\csc^2 \theta - 1} = \sec \theta \cdot \csc \theta (\sec \theta + \csc \theta)\)

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