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The greatest common factor is a factor that two or more numbers have in common. When there are three numbers, it must be a factor that all three numbers have.

Examples:

What is the greatest common factor of 6, 9, and 21?

The factors of 6 are 1, 2, 3, and 6.

The factors of 9 are 1, 3, and 9.

The factors of 21 are 1, 3, 7, and 21.

The factors that all three numbers have in common are 1 and 3, so the greatest common factor is 3.

What is the greatest common factor of 3, 7, and 15?

The factors of 3 are 1 and 3.

The factors of 7 are 1 and 7.

The factors of 15 are 1, 3, 5, and 15.

There is only one factor that all three numbers have in common - 1. Therefore, the greatest common factor is 1.

What is the greatest common factor of 12, 96, and 108?

The factors of 12 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12.

The factors of 96 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, 32, 48, and 96.

The factors of 108 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18, 27, 36, 54, and 108.

The factors that all three numbers have in common are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12, so the greatest common factor is 12.

The same as with two.

Example: 30, 42 and 66.

Factor them.

2 x 3 x 5 = 30

2 x 3 x 7 = 42

2 x 3 x 11 = 66

Select the common factors.

2 x 3 = 6, the GCF

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More answers

The greatest common factor (GCF) refers to a factor that is COMMON to two or more numbers. You have only one number in the question! The greatest factor of any number is itself.

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Q: What is a greatest common factor of three numbers?
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