The defition of greatest common factor in math terms?

Answer 1

A factor is a number which, when multiplied by another number, produces a given number.... 5 is a factor of 20

A common factor is a number which is a factor of two or more given numbers.... 2 is a common factor of 20 and 60.

The greatest common factor is the largest number which is common to two or more given numbers - so while 2 and 3 and 5 are the factors of 30, and 2 and 3 and 7 are the factors of 42..... the greatest common factor of 30 and 42 is 6 (which is 2 x 3).

The GCF can be no larger than the smallest number given in the problem. If no other numbers is a common factor, then the GCF will be the number 1. For example: Find the GCF of 12, 20, and 36. The smallest number in the problem is 12. The factors of 12 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12. 12 is the largest factor, but it does not divide evenly into 20. Neither does 6, but 4 will divide into both 20 and 36 evenly. Therefore 4 is the GCF. Find the GCF of 12 and 13. Factors of 12 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12. 12 is the largest factor, but it does not divide evenly into 13. neither does 6, 4, 3, and 2. Therefore the only factor common to both 12 and 13 is the number 1, the GCF.