What are the common factors and greatest common factor of 42?

Answer 1

The common factors of 42 are the numbers that can evenly divide 42 without leaving a remainder. The common factors of 42 are 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 14, 21, and 42. The greatest common factor (GCF) of 42 is the largest number that can divide 42 and another number without leaving a remainder. In this case, the GCF of 42 and any other number would be 42 itself.

Answer 2

There is neither a greatest common factor nor common factors of a single number, such as 42, because there cannot be any form of common factor without two or more numbers to compare. Common factors are factors that the numbers being compared have in common. The greatest common factor is the largest factor that all the numbers being compared have in common. Thus, since there are not two or more numbers to compare, there are neither common factors nor a greatest common factor.

The factors of 42 are 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 14, 21, and 42. Examples: The common factors of 25 and 42 are only 1; the greatest common factor is 1.

The common factors of 36 and 42 are 1, 2, 3, and 6; the greatest common factor is 6.

The common factors of 42 and 49 are 1 and 7; the greatest common factor is 7.

The common factors of 42 and 60 are 1, 2, 3, and 6; the greatest common factor is 6.

The common factors of 42 and 70 are 1, 2, 7, and 14; the greatest common factor is 14.