factorial

Factorial is a mathematical operation denoted by an exclamation mark (e.g., 5!). It represents the product of all positive whole numbers from 1 up to that number. For example, 5! equals 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1, which equals 120. Factorials are used in areas like probability, combinatorics, and algebra to count arrangements or options. They grow very quickly as numbers increase, reflecting the increasing number of ways to organize or select items.