Since 12 evenly divides into both 24 and 36, and is the largest factor of itself, 12 is the greatest common factor.
Another way to determine the greatest common factor is to find all the factors of the numbers and compare them.
The factors of 12 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12.
The factors of 24 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24.
The factors of 36 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 36.
The common factors are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12. Therefore, the greatest common factor is 12.
The greatest common factor can also be calculated by identifying the common prime factors and multiplying them together.
The prime factors of 12 are 2, 2, and 3.
The prime factors of 24 are 2, 2, 2, and 3.
The prime factors of 36 are 2, 2, 3, and 3.
The prime factors in common are 2, 2, and 3, so the greatest common factor is 2 x 2 x 3 = 12.
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