find the greatest common factor and least common multiple for 48 and 72.

Question

find the greatest common factor and least common multiple for 48 and 72.

Answer 1

48 = 2*24 = 3*16 = 3*2^4

72 = 9*8 = 3^2*2^3;

when you look for GCF (greatest common factor) look at these factors and keep the common numbers; 3*2^4, 3^2*2^3: we know that 3*2^3 is common for both

so GCF is 3*2^3 =3*8 = 24

when you check least common multiple (LCM)

you get GCF first then multiply the numbers left over. We have 24*2*3 = 144