How to Find the Greatest Common Factor for 12 and 48

How to Find the Greatest Common Factor for 12 and 48

You can find the greatest common factor (GCF) of 12 and 48 by listing the common factors for each number and then identifying the greatest factor in each list. Here's the step-by-step process: Step 1: List the Factors of 12 • The factors of 12 are the numbers that can evenly divide 12. In this case, they are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12. Step 2: List the Factors of 48 • The factors of 48 are the numbers that can evenly divide 48. In this case, they are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, and 48. Step 3: Identify the Common Factors • Compare the lists of factors for 12 and 48 to find the common factors. The common factors are the numbers that appear in both lists. Common Factors: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12 Step 4: Determine the Greatest Common Factor • Finally, determine which common factor is the greatest. In this case, the greatest common factor (GCF) of 12 and 48 is 12. So, the GCF of 12 and 48 is 12. Note: You can also use prime factorization to find the GCF. It involves breaking down each number into its prime factors and then finding the common prime factors.