Greatest Common Divisor (GCD) or Greatest Common Factor (GCF)

Example 1: Find Greatest Common Divisor of 150 and 54, ie GCD(150,54)

Method 1

2
54 150
-108
42
1
previous previous
42 54
remainder divisor
-42

12
3
previous
12 42 previous
remainder divisor
-36

GCD 6
2
previous 6 previous
12
remainder divisor
-12
Stop when you
get 0 remainder 0

The GCD is the second to last remainder.

∴ GCD(150, 54) = 6

Method 2

Take difference of 150 and 54: 150 - 54 = 96

For each step take the absolute difference of the previous result and smaller number, continue to do this
until you get a zero.

96 - 54 = 42
54 - 42 = 12
42 - 12 = 30
30 - 12 = 18
18 - 12 = 6
12 - 6 = 6 ← GCD
6 - 6 = 0 (stop here)

1
∴ GCD(150,54) = 6

Example 2: Find Greatest Common Divisor of 28,42, and 126.

Method 1

Compute the GCD using any two numbers from the set. Compute GCD(28,42).

28 42
-28

GCD 14

2
previous previous
14 28
remainder divisor
-28
stop when you
get 0 remainder 0

GCD(28,42) = 14. Now compute the GCD of 14 and 126.

GCD 14 126
-126

As seen in this example, if you get a 0 remainder on first step, then the GCD is the divisor. GCD(14,126) = 14.

∴ GCD(28, 42, 126) = 14.

Method 2

Just as with Method 1, we need to first find the GCD of two numbers from the set.

Find GCD(28,42).

42 - 28 = 14
28 - 14 = 14 ← GCD
14 - 14 = 0 (stop here)

GCD(28,42) = 14

Now, find GCD(14,126)

126 - 14 = 112
112 - 14 = 98
98 - 14 = 84
84 - 14 = 70

2
70 - 14 = 56
56 - 14 = 42
42 - 14 = 28
28 - 14 = 14 ← GCD
14 - 14 = 0 (stop here)

So, GCD of 14 and 126 = 14.

∴ GCD(28, 42, 126) = 14.