Arithmetic/More About Multiplication/Is One a Factor of Everything?

To answer the question above, yes. 1 is a factor of any number n. For proof, consider this statement: "any number n is a factor of itself when multiplied by one".

let n = any number, then any number times 1 is itself. This picture also demonstrates the commutative property of multiplication which basically means the operation of multiplication can be performed in any order.

Proof: Let n = 27 then 27 * 1 = 27 because any number multiplied by 1 is itself. The reason for this is say you had a bag of 12 marbles. If you had 2 bags of marbles you would have 24 marbles because 12 is multiplied by the number 2 because you have 2 bags. However, if you only have 1 bag of 12 marbles, you only have 12 marbles. Therefore, we know this statement to be a fact: Any number n can be factored to n * 1.

58 million times 1? Answer: 58 million. It does not matter how big the number(or even how small, as in this example: (1)-245 = -245.) Though, negative numbers are beyond the scope of this page, as you continue to increase your understanding of mathematics, you will learn of negative numbers and absolute value.