Find the greatest common factor of 28 and 42.
Understand the Problem
The question is asking for the greatest common factor (GCF) of the numbers 28 and 42. To solve this, we need to find the factors of both numbers and determine the largest factor that they have in common.
Answer
The GCF of 28 and 42 is $14$.
Answer for screen readers
The greatest common factor (GCF) of 28 and 42 is $14$.
Steps to Solve
- List the factors of each number
First, we need to find all the factors of 28 and 42.
The factors of 28 are:
1, 2, 4, 7, 14, 28
The factors of 42 are:
1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 14, 21, 42
- Identify the common factors
Next, we will identify which factors are common to both lists.
The common factors are:
1, 2, 7, 14
- Find the greatest common factor
Now, we take the largest number from the list of common factors.
The greatest common factor is:
14
The greatest common factor (GCF) of 28 and 42 is $14$.
More Information
The greatest common factor is useful for simplifying fractions, finding least common multiples, and solving problems involving divisibility. Knowing how to find the GCF can help in various mathematical situations.
Tips
One common mistake is forgetting to list all factors, which can lead to incorrect identification of common factors. Always ensure that you have compiled a complete list of factors for each number.
