6th Grade · The Number System

Greatest Common Factor

6.NS.B.4

Definition

The largest factor that two or more numbers have in common.

Examples

  • Factors of 12: 1,2,3,4,6,12. Factors of 18: 1,2,3,6,9,18. GCF = 6.
  • The common factors of 12 and 18 are 1, 2, 3, 6 — the greatest is 6.

Key rule

Find all common factors, then pick the greatest.

Memory hook

The biggest factor they both share.