help on my sons math homework?

Question

Math just isnt like it was when I was growing up. Ok i know what an array is and how to find the factors of a number but how do you find the factors of a number using an array? this is a fourth grader we're talking about by the way

Answer 1

Is there nothing in his textbook?

My thoughts would be to do something like this:

You have the number 8. Let's find the factors by creating different arrays (if you're only supposed to use 1 array, I have no clue).

x x x x x x x x (factors: 1 and 8, because we have one row of 8)

We can't make equal groups of 7, 6 or 5 if we have 8, so let's move onto 4.

x x x x
x x x x
(Factors: 2 and 4 because we have two rows of 4)

x x
x x
x x
x x
(Factors: 4 and 2--we're now repeating)
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
(8 and 1)

These are the possible arrays for 8. Now, the textbook/teacher is going to have a specific intent and may have simply used 1 and 8 as the factors for the first array, then 2 and 4 for the second array, when you get to the third, well, you see that you are just repeating, so stop.

Answer 2

What. A. Father.

Arrays are like rows of dots, right?

Well the rows x columns have something to do with factors, right?

It's like multiplication.

A 2 by 6 array looks like this:
@ @ @ @ @ @
@ @ @ @ @ @

Factors of 12: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12

@ @|@ @|@ @
@ @|@ @|@ @ <-this is how it can be divided by three or four

Answer 3

an array is just a method to finding factors. Its kind of like the different methods to multiplying things into a quadratic (like FOIL or the Butterfly method, or the smiley face). If he has a book, then just look it up in there, or tell your kid to pay better attention in class.

Answer 4

I know what you mean. I don't understand the new math, either...

Answer 5

wow i totally agree with you

Answer 6

its called google