What is the greatest common factor of 16 and 56?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking for the greatest common factor (GCF) of the numbers 16 and 56. To solve this, we will find the factors of both numbers and determine the largest factor that they share.
Answer
$8$
Answer for screen readers
The greatest common factor (GCF) of 16 and 56 is $8$.
Steps to Solve
- Find the factors of 16 To find the factors of 16, we list all the numbers that can divide 16 without leaving a remainder:
- The factors are: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16.
- Find the factors of 56 Now, we do the same for 56 by listing all the numbers that can divide 56 without leaving a remainder:
- The factors are: 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 14, 28, 56.
- Identify the common factors Next, we need to find the factors that are common to both 16 and 56:
- The common factors are: 1, 2, 4, 8.
- Determine the greatest common factor Lastly, we select the largest number from the common factors:
- The greatest common factor (GCF) is 8.
The greatest common factor (GCF) of 16 and 56 is $8$.
More Information
The GCF is important because it helps in simplifying fractions and finding common denominators. The concept of GCF is used often in areas like number theory and algebra.
Tips
- A common mistake is to overlook a factor. Make sure to double-check the factor lists for any missed numbers.
- Another mistake is to confuse GCF with least common multiple (LCM), which is the smallest multiple shared by the numbers.
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