What is the least common factor of 8 and 6?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking to find the least common factor of the numbers 8 and 6. The least common factor of any two numbers is the smallest number that divides both of them. In this case, we need to identify the common factors of 8 and 6 and select the smallest one.
Answer
$1$
Answer for screen readers
The least common factor of 8 and 6 is $1$.
Steps to Solve
- Identify the factors of each number
First, we find the factors of 8 and 6.
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The factors of 8 are: $$ 1, 2, 4, 8 $$
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The factors of 6 are: $$ 1, 2, 3, 6 $$
- Find the common factors
Next, we identify the common factors between the two sets of factors we calculated:
- The common factors of 8 and 6 are: $$ 1, 2 $$
- Choose the smallest common factor
Finally, we select the smallest number from the common factors found:
- The smallest common factor is: $$ 1 $$
The least common factor of 8 and 6 is $1$.
More Information
The least common factor of any two numbers is always $1$, as $1$ is a factor of every integer. It's useful to recognize that the term "least common factor" can sometimes be confused with "least common multiple" (LCM), which is a different concept.
Tips
- Confusing least common factor with least common multiple. Always ensure you are identifying factors versus multiples.
- Assuming that the least common factor might be a larger number. The least common factor is always $1$ for any two numbers.
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