What is the greatest common factor of 15 and 27?

Understand the Problem

The question is asking to find the greatest common factor (GCF) of the numbers 15 and 27. This involves identifying the largest number that can evenly divide both 15 and 27.

Answer

The GCF of 15 and 27 is $3$.

Steps to Solve

List the Factors First, we need to identify all the factors of each number.

For 15, the factors are: 1, 3, 5, 15

For 27, the factors are: 1, 3, 9, 27

Identify Common Factors Next, we find the factors that are common to both lists.

Common factors of 15 and 27 are: 1, 3

Determine the Greatest Common Factor Now, we look for the largest number from the common factors we identified.

The greatest common factor (GCF) is: 3

The greatest common factor (GCF) of 15 and 27 is $3$.

More Information

The GCF is useful in various mathematical applications, such as simplifying fractions or solving problems involving ratios. Knowing how to find the GCF can also help in understanding concepts involved in divisibility.

Tips

Confusing GCF with Least Common Multiple (LCM): Remember that GCF finds the largest number that divides both, while LCM finds the smallest number that both can divide.
Forgetting to list all factors: It’s important to ensure all factors are considered before determining the common ones.

Thank you for voting!