ASVAB math vocabulary with verified
definitions
Integer - answer An integer is any positive or negative whole number or zero. The ASVAB often
requires you to work with integers, such as -6, 0, or 27.
Factor - answer Factors are integers (whole numbers) that can be divided evenly into another
integer. To factor a number, you simply determine the numbers that you can divide into it. For
example, 8 can be divided by the numbers 2 and 4 (in addition to 1 and 8), so 2 and 4 are factors
of 8.
Composite number - answer is a whole number that can be divided evenly by itself and by 1, as
well as by one or more other whole numbers; in other words, it has more than two factors.
Examples of composite numbers are 6 (whose factors are 1, 2, 3, and 6), 9 (whose factors are 1,
3, and 9), and 12 (whose factors are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12).
Prime - answer A prime number is a whole number that can be divided evenly by itself and by 1
but not by any other number, which means that it has exactly two factors. Examples of prime
numbers are 2 (whose factors are 1 and 2), 5 (whose factors are 1 and 5), and 11 (whose factors
are 1 and 11).
Exponent - answer An exponent is a shorthand method of indicating repeated multiplication.
Base - answer A base is a number that's used as a factor at least two times it's a number raised
to an exponent.
Factorial - answer A factorial is represented by an exclamation point (!). You calculate a factorial
by finding the product of (multiplying) a whole number and all the whole numbers less than it
down to 1. So 6 factorial (6!) is 6x5x4x3x2x1=720A factorial helps you determine permutations
all the different possible ways an event may turn out. For example, if you want to know how
many different ways six runners could finish a race (permutation), you would solve for 6!
definitions
Integer - answer An integer is any positive or negative whole number or zero. The ASVAB often
requires you to work with integers, such as -6, 0, or 27.
Factor - answer Factors are integers (whole numbers) that can be divided evenly into another
integer. To factor a number, you simply determine the numbers that you can divide into it. For
example, 8 can be divided by the numbers 2 and 4 (in addition to 1 and 8), so 2 and 4 are factors
of 8.
Composite number - answer is a whole number that can be divided evenly by itself and by 1, as
well as by one or more other whole numbers; in other words, it has more than two factors.
Examples of composite numbers are 6 (whose factors are 1, 2, 3, and 6), 9 (whose factors are 1,
3, and 9), and 12 (whose factors are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12).
Prime - answer A prime number is a whole number that can be divided evenly by itself and by 1
but not by any other number, which means that it has exactly two factors. Examples of prime
numbers are 2 (whose factors are 1 and 2), 5 (whose factors are 1 and 5), and 11 (whose factors
are 1 and 11).
Exponent - answer An exponent is a shorthand method of indicating repeated multiplication.
Base - answer A base is a number that's used as a factor at least two times it's a number raised
to an exponent.
Factorial - answer A factorial is represented by an exclamation point (!). You calculate a factorial
by finding the product of (multiplying) a whole number and all the whole numbers less than it
down to 1. So 6 factorial (6!) is 6x5x4x3x2x1=720A factorial helps you determine permutations
all the different possible ways an event may turn out. For example, if you want to know how
many different ways six runners could finish a race (permutation), you would solve for 6!
