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Maths•Upper Primary Decimals & Factors

Factors, multiples, HCF and LCM

Upper Primary 6 questions
AI-drafted from platform data — specialist review scheduledBy DigiTransact Mastermind editorial teamLast updated
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What factors, multiples, hcf and lcm means

You learn how to find numbers that divide another number exactly, and how to spot numbers that come up in a pattern of repeated counting. This helps you solve sharing and grouping problems, compare number sets, and prepare for more advanced number work.

What you will practise

  • List all the factors of a whole number
  • Find common factors shared by two numbers
  • Work out the highest common factor
  • List multiples of a number in order
  • Find the lowest common multiple

Before you start

You should be comfortable with multiplication tables and basic division facts. You also need to know how to count in twos, threes, fours, fives and other times tables.

Not confident yet? Work through Decimals and place value first.

Worked example

One question from this skill's own question bank, shown with its full working.

Question

Which of these is a factor of 24?

  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 9
Answer: 6

Working: 24 ÷ 6 = 4 exactly, so 6 is a factor of 24.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Treating a multiple as a factor. Check whether the number divides exactly before you choose it.
  • Missing some factors. Use pairs of numbers that multiply to the target number.
  • Confusing HCF with LCM. HCF is the biggest shared factor, while LCM is the smallest shared multiple.
  • Stopping too early when listing multiples. Continue until you find the first common one.

Curriculum and exam alignment

Ghana GES Basic 4 to 6 syllabusGroundwork for the BECE

This topic usually appears in Upper Primary number work, often from Basic 4 to Basic 6, as part of whole-number skills. It supports school-based assessment and builds the number sense needed for BECE preparation.

Curriculum notes are a general guide to where this work normally sits. Always check the syllabus your school or examination body is currently using.

Related skills

Other Upper Primary Decimals & Factors skills in Maths, at the same point in the course.

Other Maths topics

Picture Addition & SubtractionEarly NumeracyNumber BasicsSHS Core MathematicsUniversity MathematicsAlgebra

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Exams that assess factors, multiples, hcf and lcm

Upper Primary work on this skill feeds directly into these exam papers. Each page lists the Maths topics that appear on it.

GESGES practice questionsFree GES practice across the subjects at this stage, with worked answers.BECEBECE practice questionsListed as a related subject on the BECE practice page.WASSCEWASSCE practice questionsListed as a related subject on the WASSCE practice page.

How this page was produced

This text was drafted with AI assistance from the questions and topics already stored on the platform. A subject-specialist review is scheduled but has not yet been recorded, so we do not claim it here.

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Practise factors, multiples, hcf and lcm

6 questions with a worked answer after every attempt, and a SmartScore that tracks how close you are to mastery.

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