factorise
2 antonyms for factorise — opposites grouped by meaning.
Verb — In mathematics: rewrite a number or expression as a product of its factors.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. verb
In mathematics: rewrite a number or expression as a product of its factors.
“Factorise x squared plus 5x plus 6 into (x + 2)(x + 3).”
Opposites
expand
multiply out
2. verb
More generally, break something down into the separate parts that combine to produce it.
“The model factorises risk into three independent components.”
decompose
separate out
Antonyms
expand
multiply out
How to use factorise
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
factorise fully
factorise the quadratic
factorise into primes
Technical; standard in school and university mathematics.
Etymology
From factor, from Latin facere 'to make, do', with the verb-forming suffix -ise.
Full origin of factorise →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between factorise and expand?
They are opposite operations. Expanding multiplies out the brackets — (x + 2)(x + 3) becomes x² + 5x + 6. Factorising goes the other way, putting the brackets back in. A good check on your factorising is to expand it again and see if you get the original.
Is it factorise or factorize?
Both are correct: factorise is the usual British and Australian spelling, factorize the American one, and Oxford style also uses -ize in British English. Americans more often just say 'factor' as the verb.
