I feel really stupid but, what do you call the numbers that you multiply to get the product in multiplication?

Question

My brain completely spaced and I feel really retarted. In the equation 2 x 5=10, what are 2 and 5 called? (No rude comments at my stupidity please).

I think it's something like "multiplicities" or "multiplicators."

Answer 1

Factors.

I'm pretty sure many people out their don't know what 1 + 1 is.

So don't worry =D.

Answer 2

Amazingly, no one has given you exactly the right answer yet.
Correction: kindrick gave you the right information, but with no explanation.

In a multiplication problem, one number is the multiplier and the other is the multiplicand. As you know, it doesn't matter which number is multiplied by which, because (for example) 2 x 5 equals 5 x 2.

However, when we're naming the components of the problem, they do have different names. If we want to know the value of 2 nickels, then the multiplier is 2 (the number of items we have) and the multiplicand is 5 cents (the quantity that we have two of).

The solution to the multiplication problem is called the product.

It is common in algebra and higher math to refer to numbers that are being multiplied together as factors. There can be any number of factors multiplied together (e.g., xyz = 3).

In arithmetic, however, multiplication is defined in terms of TWO numbers that are multiplied together. One does not multiply three numbers together; you multiply two of them together, and then multiply their product by the third number.

And as a result, in arithmetic we can have names for the two numbers in a multiplication problem.

Answer 3

I really dont think they are called multiplicities and multiplicators... they are called multiplicants and multipliers instead.

Answer 4

Factors

Multiplier & multiplicand

Answer 5

Factors...

Answer 6

They are called factors.

Answer 7

multiplier

Answer 8

multiplicands