Multiple (mathematics)

In mathematics, a multiple of an integer is the product of that integer with another integer. For instance, 6 is a multiple of 2, since 6=2x3. Similarly, -6 is a multiple of 2, since -6=2x(-3). Instead of referring to one number as a multiple of a second, one often refers to the second number as a divisor of the first. Both of these statements express the same idea with different words. For example, above we saw that 6 is a multiple of 2. This same idea can be expressed by stating that 2 is a divisor of 6.

The relationship of one object being a multiple of another can also appear in other contexts. For instance, one polynomial can be a multiple of another.