Finding the greatest common factor (GCF) of two or more numbers can be done through a simple step-by-step process. Here's an easy way to find the GCF:
Step 1: List the Factors
Start by listing the factors of each of the numbers you want to find the GCF for. A factor is a number that divides evenly into another number. For example, if you want to find the GCF of 12 and 18, list their factors as follows:
Factors of 12: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12
Factors of 18: 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 18
Step 2: Compare and Identify
Compare the two lists of factors and identify the largest number that appears in both lists.
From the example above, the largest number in both lists is 6. Therefore, the GCF of 12 and 18 is 6.
Step 3: Verify
To double-check your answer, you can multiply the GCF by any common factors that were not included initially. In this case, both 12 and 18 are divisible by 2 and 3. So, by multiplying GCF (6) by 2 and 3, you should get the original numbers:
6 x 2 = 12
6 x 3 = 18
Both results match, confirming that 6 is indeed the GCF.
Remember that this method can be used to find the GCF of more than two numbers as well. Simply list the factors and identify the largest number that appears in all the lists.
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