There are 8 factors of 42. They are 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 14, 21, and 42.

In elementary school math we are introduced to the concept of factors. A factor is the multiplication of two positive integers, then both these numbers are called factors of their product. They are also called approximate numbers. If a*b=c (a, b, and c are all integers), then we say that a and b are factors of c. Note that this relationship holds only if the divisor, divisor, and quotient are all integers and the remainder is zero. Conversely, we call c a multiple of a and b.

Related Properties of Factors:

1. Division: If an integer a divides a by a non-zero integer b, the quotient is an integer, and the remainder is zero, we say that a is divisible by b (or that b divides a).

2. Prime numbers: natural numbers with exactly two positive factors are prime numbers.

3. Combination: a number that has positive factors other than 1 and itself.

4. 1 has only positive factor 1, so it is neither prime nor composite.

5. If a is a factor of b and a is a prime number, then a is said to be a prime factor of b.