To find a number that can divide both 36 and 42, you need to determine the greatest common divisor (GCD) of the two numbers.
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First, let's find the prime factorization of each number:
- \( 36 = 2^2 \times 3^2 \)
- \( 42 = 2^1 \times 3^1 \times 7^1 \)
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Next, identify the common prime factors and their lowest powers:
- The common prime factors are 2 and 3.
- The lowest power of 2 in both factorizations is \( 2^1 \).
- The lowest power of 3 in both factorizations is \( 3^1 \).
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Multiply these together to find the GCD: \[ \text{GCD} = 2^1 \times 3^1 = 2 \times 3 = 6 \]
Thus, the greatest common divisor of 36 and 42 is 6.
Any multiple of 6 will also divide both 36 and 42, such as 6, 12, 18, 24, etc.