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The Greatest Common Divisor

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13 views2 pages

The Greatest Common Divisor

Uploaded by

vknr
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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The greatest common divisor (GCD), also known as the greatest common factor (GCF), is

the largest positive integer that divides two or more numbers without leaving a remainder.
It’s useful for simplifying fractions, finding common factors, and solving various
mathematical problems.

How to Find the GCD

1. Listing Factors:

o List all the factors of each number and find the largest one they share.

o Example: For 8 and 12:

▪ Factors of 8: 1, 2, 4, 8

▪ Factors of 12: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12

▪ GCD is 4.

2. Prime Factorization:

o Break each number into its prime factors.

o Example: For 18 (2 × 3²) and 24 (2³ × 3):

▪ Common prime factors: 2¹ (smallest power of 2) and 3¹ (smallest


power of 3).

▪ GCD = 2¹ × 3¹ = 6.

3. Using the Euclidean Algorithm:

o A more efficient method, especially for larger numbers:

▪ Divide the larger number by the smaller one and find the remainder.

▪ Replace the larger number with the smaller number and the smaller
number with the remainder.

▪ Repeat until the remainder is 0. The last non-zero remainder is the


GCD.

o Example: For 48 and 18:

▪ 48 ÷ 18 = 2 (remainder 12)

▪ 18 ÷ 12 = 1 (remainder 6)

▪ 12 ÷ 6 = 2 (remainder 0)
▪ GCD is 6.

Applications of GCD

• Simplifying Fractions: To reduce fractions to their simplest form.

• Finding Common Factors: Useful in number theory and algebra.

• Problem Solving: In problems involving divisibility and number relationships.

Example

Find the GCD of 36 and 60:

1. Listing Factors:

o Factors of 36: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18, 36

o Factors of 60: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 20, 30, 60

o GCD is 12.

2. Prime Factorization:

o 36 = 2² × 3²

o 60 = 2² × 3¹ × 5¹

o GCD = 2² × 3¹ = 12.

3. Using the Euclidean Algorithm:

o 60 ÷ 36 = 1 (remainder 24)

o 36 ÷ 24 = 1 (remainder 12)

o 24 ÷ 12 = 2 (remainder 0)

o GCD is 12.

Understanding the GCD helps in many mathematical applications and problem-solving


scenarios!

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