Factor:

A factor of a number is an exact divisor of that number i.e. the factor leaves remainder 0 when it divides the number. 

Factors of 16

16 x 1 = 16

8 x 2 = 16

4 x 4 = 16

Factoring:

• Factoring is the process of finding the factors.

• Factoring: Finding what to multiply together to get an expression.

• It is like "splitting" an expression into a multiplication of simpler expressions.

Factoring is also the opposite of Expanding: