Last updated on May 26th, 2025
Factors are the numbers that divide any given number evenly without remainder. In daily life, we use factors for tasks like sharing items equally, arranging things, etc. In this topic, we will learn about the factors of -400, how they are used in real life, and tips to learn them quickly.
The numbers that divide -400 evenly are known as factors of -400.
A factor of -400 is a number that divides the number without remainder.
The positive factors of -400 are 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 16, 20, 25, 40, 50, 80, 100, 200, and 400.
Negative factors of -400: -1, -2, -4, -5, -8, -10, -16, -20, -25, -40, -50, -80, -100, -200, and -400.
Prime factors of -400: 2 and 5.
Prime factorization of 400: 24 × 52.
The sum of positive factors of 400: 1 + 2 + 4 + 5 + 8 + 10 + 16 + 20 + 25 + 40 + 50 + 80 + 100 + 200 + 400 = 861.
Factors can be found using different methods. Mentioned below are some commonly used methods:
To find factors using multiplication, we need to identify the pairs of numbers that are multiplied to give -400. Identifying the numbers which are multiplied to get the number -400 is the multiplication method.
Step 1: Multiply -400 by 1, -400 × 1 = -400.
Step 2: Check for other numbers that give -400 after multiplying
2 × -200 = -400
4 × -100 = -400
5 × -80 = -400
8 × -50 = -400
10 × -40 = -400
16 × -25 = -400
20 × -20 = -400
25 × -16 = -400
Therefore, the positive factor pairs of 400 are: (1, 400), (2, 200), (4, 100), (5, 80), (8, 50), (10, 40), (16, 25), (20, 20). All these factor pairs result in 400. For every positive factor, there is a negative factor.
Dividing the given numbers with the whole numbers until the remainder becomes zero and listing out the numbers which result as whole numbers as factors. Factors can be calculated by following a simple division method -
Step 1: Divide -400 by 1, -400 ÷ 1 = -400.
Step 2: Continue dividing -400 by the numbers until the remainder becomes 0.
-400 ÷ 1 = -400
-400 ÷ 2 = -200
-400 ÷ 4 = -100
-400 ÷ 5 = -80
-400 ÷ 8 = -50
-400 ÷ 10 = -40
-400 ÷ 16 = -25
Therefore, the factors of -400 are: 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 16, 20, 25, 40, 50, 80, 100, 200, 400, and their negative counterparts.
The factors can be found by dividing it with prime numbers. We can find the prime factors using the following methods:
Using Prime Factorization: In this process, prime factors of 400 divide the number to break it down in the multiplication form of prime factors till the remainder becomes 1.
400 ÷ 2 = 200
200 ÷ 2 = 100
100 ÷ 2 = 50
50 ÷ 2 = 25
25 ÷ 5 = 5
5 ÷ 5 = 1
The prime factors of 400 are 2 and 5.
The prime factorization of 400 is: 24 × 52.
The factor tree is the graphical representation of breaking down any number into prime factors. The following steps show -
Step 1: Firstly, 400 is divided by 2 to get 200.
Step 2: Now divide 200 by 2 to get 100.
Step 3: Then divide 100 by 2 to get 50.
Step 4: Divide 50 by 2 to get 25.
Step 5: Divide 25 by 5 to get 5. Here, 5 is the smallest prime number that cannot be divided anymore. So, the prime factorization of 400 is: 24 × 52.
Factor Pairs: Two numbers that are multiplied to give a specific number are called factor pairs. Both positive and negative factors constitute factor pairs.
Positive factor pairs of 400: (1, 400), (2, 200), (4, 100), (5, 80), (8, 50), (10, 40), (16, 25).
Negative factor pairs of -400: (-1, -400), (-2, -200), (-4, -100), (-5, -80), (-8, -50), (-10, -40), (-16, -25).
Mistakes are common while finding factors. We can identify and correct those mistakes using the following common mistakes and the ways to avoid them.
A construction company has 400 bricks. If they distribute them equally in 8 stacks, how many bricks will each stack have?
Each stack will have 50 bricks.
To distribute the bricks equally, we need to divide the total bricks by the number of stacks.
400/8 = 50
A rectangular garden has a length of 10 meters and a total area of 400 square meters. Find the width.
40 meters.
To find the width of the garden, we use the formula,
Area = length × width
400 = 10 × width
To find the value of width, we need to shift 10 to the left side.
400/10 = width Width = 40.
There are 20 boxes and 400 chocolates. How many chocolates will be in each box?
Each box will have 20 chocolates.
To find the chocolates in each box, divide the total chocolates by the boxes.
400/20 = 20
In a class, there are 400 students, and 5 groups. How many students are there in each group?
There are 80 students in each group.
Dividing the students by the total groups, we will get the number of students in each group.
400/5 = 80
A bookstore has 400 books and 10 shelves. How many books will go on each shelf?
Each shelf will have 40 books.
Divide total books by shelves.
400/10 = 40
Hiralee Lalitkumar Makwana has almost two years of teaching experience. She is a number ninja as she loves numbers. Her interest in numbers can be seen in the way she cracks math puzzles and hidden patterns.
: She loves to read number jokes and games.