Factor

Factor

Engineering definition

1. Any number, quantity, or symbol multiplied by another to produce a result.
2. The broker to which a company may sell its invoices for a discounted price. While not a technical definition, this describes a not uncommon practice in engineering companies.

Medical definition

1. An agent or activity necessary to the production of a result. The word “factor” may indicate that the nature of the substance or its mechanism of action is not known.
2. A gene.

Confusion

For engineers, asking what factors were taken into account could be construed as asking about the safety margin in a design. For medical professionals, asking what factors were taken into account could be construed as asking about the variables in or causes for a diagnosis.