How to find the factors of 56
Test every whole number from 1 up to the square root of 56 (√56 ≈ 7.483). Each number that divides evenly gives you two factors at once: the divisor and the quotient.
- 56 ÷ 1 = 56 — so 1 and 56 are factors
- 56 ÷ 2 = 28 — so 2 and 28 are factors
- 56 ÷ 3 = 18.667 — not a whole number
- 56 ÷ 4 = 14 — so 4 and 14 are factors
- 56 ÷ 5 = 11.2 — not a whole number
- 56 ÷ 6 = 9.333 — not a whole number
- 56 ÷ 7 = 8 — so 7 and 8 are factors
Collecting both numbers from every successful division gives the complete list: 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 14, 28 and 56.
Prime factorization of 56
Divide by the smallest prime that fits, and keep going until the quotient is 1:
The primes you divided by give 56 = 2³ × 7. From the exponents you can also count the factors without listing them: (3 + 1) × (1 + 1) = 8.
Properties of 56
- 56 is a composite number.
- The sum of all its factors is 120; the sum of its proper factors (excluding 56) is 64, which makes it a abundant number (its proper factors add up to more than itself).
- 56 is not a perfect square, so its factors pair up evenly.
- Multiples of 56 include 112, 168, 224, 280 and so on.
Factors vs. multiples
Factors of 56 are the numbers that divide into it; multiples of 56 are the numbers it divides into. Every number has a limited set of factors but infinitely many multiples. To work with any other number, use the factors calculator, or find shared factors with the GCF calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What are the factors of 56?
The factors of 56 are 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 14, 28 and 56. Each of these divides 56 with no remainder.
How many factors does 56 have?
56 has 8 positive factors, which form 4 factor pairs. Counting negative factors as well doubles that to 16.
What is the prime factorization of 56?
56 = 2³ × 7. Its distinct prime factors are 2 and 7.
Is 56 a prime number?
No. 56 is composite because it has 8 factors, more than the two a prime number has.