Multiplication and Division - Factor Pairs - Presentation

In a series of engaging slides, students are introduced to the concept of factor pairs as part of their multiplication and division curriculum. The lesson aims to develop pupils' understanding of factors by utilising their existing multiplication facts. A key question posed to the students is to define what a factor is, encouraging them to articulate their understanding of the term. The lesson then delves into practical activities where students are asked to identify factor pairs for given numbers, such as 12 and 24, by observing arrays that visually represent these multiplicative relationships. For instance, the factor pairs for 12 are shown to be 12 x 1, 6 x 2, and 4 x 3, while for 24, they are 24 x 1, 12 x 2, 8 x 3, and 6 x 4.

An engaging 'factor bug' activity further reinforces the concept, where students draw factor bugs for different numbers like 16, 48, 56, and 35, and complete the factor bug for 36. This visual representation helps students to see the factor pairs as 'legs' of the bugs, making the concept more tangible and memorable. As the lesson progresses, students explore more complex questions, such as whether factors always come in pairs and if whole numbers always have an even number of factors. They also consider the relationship between a number and the sum of its factors, identifying numbers that are equal to, less than, or greater than the sum of their factors, excluding the number itself. Through independent work and class discussions, students deepen their understanding of factors, the role of arrays in identifying them, and the universality of certain numbers as factors of all whole numbers.