What is the factor of 12?

A factor of a number is a whole number that can be divided evenly into that number without leaving a remainder. In the case of the number 12, it can be divided by several whole numbers.

When considering the number 3, it divides evenly into 12 since (12 \div 3 = 4), with no remainder. This confirms that 3 is indeed a factor of 12. Additionally, the complete list of factors for 12 includes 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12. Therefore, 3 fits accurately within this list.

Looking at the other numbers provided, 5, 7, and 9 do not divide into 12 evenly. For instance, dividing 12 by 5 gives a quotient of 2 with a remainder of 2, and so on for 7 and 9. Thus, they do not qualify as factors of 12.