What is the greatest common factor of 196?

Answer 1

There is neither a greatest common factor nor common factors of a single number, such as 196 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 196 are 1, 2, 4, 7, 14, 28, 49, 98, and 196.

The prime factors of 196 are 2, 2, 7, and 7.

Examples:

The common factors of 32 and 196 are 1, 2, and 4; the greatest common factor is 4.

The common factors of 50 and 196 are 1 and 2; the greatest common factor is 2.

The common factors of 56 and 196 are 1, 2, 4, 7, 14, and 28; the greatest common factor is 28.