Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division - Factors - Presentation

In a mathematics lesson centred on the concept of factors, students revisit their understanding of what factors are, including the notion of factor pairs, and explore whether all factors have corresponding pairs. The lesson begins with a discussion aimed at reinforcing the definitions and properties of factors and factor pairs. Students then engage in hands-on activities, such as arranging twenty counters in various ways to discover the different factor pairs of twenty, like 1 and 20, 2 and 10, and 5 and 4. They are encouraged to work systematically to ensure all factors are found and to consider the patterns that emerge from their arrangements.

The lesson continues with similar exercises using different numbers of counters, such as eighteen and sixty, to find their respective factors. For example, the factors of eighteen include pairs like 1 and 18, 2 and 9, and 3 and 6. Students are also tasked with identifying missing factors from a given set, such as those of 60 and 30, and filling in the missing factors of 24 and 12 using multiplication and division knowledge. The lesson includes reasoning challenges that prompt students to critically think about patterns and properties related to factors, such as whether an odd number always has an odd number of factors or if a larger number necessarily has fewer factors. Independent work reinforces the lesson's concepts, as students complete exercises on finding factors and explaining the difference between a multiple and a factor, ensuring a thorough understanding of these fundamental mathematical concepts.