How to find the factors of 98
Test every whole number from 1 up to the square root of 98 (√98 ≈ 9.899). Each number that divides evenly gives you two factors at once: the divisor and the quotient.
- 98 ÷ 1 = 98 — so 1 and 98 are factors
- 98 ÷ 2 = 49 — so 2 and 49 are factors
- 98 ÷ 3 = 32.667 — not a whole number
- 98 ÷ 4 = 24.5 — not a whole number
- 98 ÷ 5 = 19.6 — not a whole number
- 98 ÷ 6 = 16.333 — not a whole number
- 98 ÷ 7 = 14 — so 7 and 14 are factors
- 98 ÷ 8 = 12.25 — not a whole number
- 98 ÷ 9 = 10.889 — not a whole number
Collecting both numbers from every successful division gives the complete list: 1, 2, 7, 14, 49 and 98.
Prime factorization of 98
Divide by the smallest prime that fits, and keep going until the quotient is 1:
The primes you divided by give 98 = 2 × 7². From the exponents you can also count the factors without listing them: (1 + 1) × (2 + 1) = 6.
Properties of 98
- 98 is a composite number.
- The sum of all its factors is 171; the sum of its proper factors (excluding 98) is 73, which makes it a deficient number (its proper factors add up to less than itself).
- 98 is not a perfect square, so its factors pair up evenly.
- Multiples of 98 include 196, 294, 392, 490 and so on.
Factors vs. multiples
Factors of 98 are the numbers that divide into it; multiples of 98 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 98?
The factors of 98 are 1, 2, 7, 14, 49 and 98. Each of these divides 98 with no remainder.
How many factors does 98 have?
98 has 6 positive factors, which form 3 factor pairs. Counting negative factors as well doubles that to 12.
What is the prime factorization of 98?
98 = 2 × 7². Its distinct prime factors are 2 and 7.
Is 98 a prime number?
No. 98 is composite because it has 6 factors, more than the two a prime number has.