What is a factor and a product in algebra?

A FACTOR is a term used to make a larger number by MULTIPLICATION.

A PRODUCT is the term that is the answer to two numbers being multiplied together.

e.g.

2 X 3 = 6

'2' & '3' separately are factors of '6'.

'6' is the product of '2' & '3'.

Algebraically, this could shown as

;-

ab = c

'a' & 'b' are the factors

'c' is the product

NB THe multiplication sign 'X' is NEVER shown in algebra, as it may be confused with the unknown 'x'.

Hence 'ab' means 'a' multiplied to 'b' , '2a' means '2' multiplied to 'a'. or

3a^(2) means '3' multiplied to 'a', and then another 'a' is multiplied in again.

So '3' , 'a' & 'a' are factors , and 3a^(2) is the product. .