AMBER ROBINSON

EDU 225
MARCH 24, 2015
DAVID LARSON

GREATEST COMMON FACTORS

Standard
Apply greatest common factor to the solution of problems

Objectives
Find the greatest common factor of two or more numbers
Write the greatest common factor in the correct mathematic notation

GREATEST COMMON FACTORS

Greatest Common Factor (GCF): The largest number that divides evenly into two
or more numbers.
To find the GCF you must:
Search for the factors of each number
Find the common factors
Determine the largest number (GCF)

Factors are
numbers you
multiply to get a
product

GREATEST COMMON FACTORS

To find the factors of a number, list all of the numbers that
will divide evenly into it. For example, the factors of 20
are: 1, 2, 4, 5, 10, & 20. All of these numbers divide evenly
into the number 20.

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

The factors of 9 are 1, 3, & 9.
The factors of 30 are 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 15, & 30.

***NoteThe number 1 and the number itself (being

factored) will always be factors because they both divide
evenly in the number. Ex:

GREATEST COMMON FACTORS

To find the common factors of two numbers, first list all the factors.
Example:

The factors of 10 are 1, 2, 5, & 10

The factors of 25 are 1, 5, & 25

Next, circle all of the factors 10 & 25 have in common.

Example:

The factors of 10 are 1, 2, 5, & 10

The factors of 25 are 1, 5, & 25

*The common factors of 10 & 25 are 1 & 5

*The same process applies to finding the common factors of 3 or more numbers
(demonstration in video)

GREATEST COMMON FACTORS

Once the common factors have been found, the greatest common factor
will be the highest common number. From the last example, we
determined:
The common factors of 10 & 25 are 1 & 5. Of the common factors, 5 is
the higher number. Therefore, 5 is the greatest common factor of 10 &
25.

48
24
32

In this example, the common

factors of 48, 24, & 32 are 1, 2, 4, &
8. Of the common factors, 8 is the
largest number. Therefore, 8 is the
greatest common factor of 48, 24,
& 32.

GREATEST COMMON FACTORS

Once the greatest common factor is determined, the answer should be written in the correct
notation. From the previous example, the greatest common factor of 48, 24 & 32 was 8. The
correct notation would be:

GCF (48, 24, 32) = 8

50

1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50

35

1, 5, 7, 35

The greatest common factor of

50 & 35 is 5. So the answer
should be written:

GCF (50, 35) = 5

GREATEST COMMON FACTORS

Practice

Find the greatest common factor of the following numbers, be sure to write your
answer in the correct notation:
1) 9, 12

6) 24, 40

2) 6, 18

7) 27, 126

3) 24, 108
4) 6, 15
5) 45, 105

8) 81, 180
9) 60, 225
10) 126, 196

Refer to this video for additional help!!!

GREATEST COMMON FACTORS

Practice Answers

1) GCF (9,12)= 3

9) GCF (60, 225)= 15

2) GCF (6, 18)= 6

10) GCF (126, 196)= 14

3) GCF (24, 108)= 12

4) GCF (6, 15)= 3
5) GCF (45, 105)= 15
6) GCF (24, 40)= 8
7) GCF (27, 126)= 9
8) GCF (81, 180)= 9

RESOURCES
Braintofu Farfetch Productions. (2013, Sept 20). Math Cartoon- Catching the Bad Guy Using the Greatest Common Factor.
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox2CWep7ltk
Gibson, J. (2012, Sept 15). Greatest Common Factor (GCF) of 3 Numbers- Math Tutorial. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wRblCscsc0
Howe, M. (2011, Sept 21). Finding Factors, Common Factors, and Greatest Common Factor. Retrieved from http://
libguides.gcu.edu/content.php?pid=462796&sid=5288425#19726080
Pierce, Rod. (27 Feb 2012). "Math is Fun - Privacy Statement". Math Is Fun. Retrieved 24 Mar 2015 from http://
www.mathsisfun.com/Privacy.htm