Answer:
GCF = 4.
Step-by-step explanation:
Find the prime factors:
48 = 2*2*2*2*3
244 = 2*2*61
The greatest common factor, the GCF) (picking out the common values) =
2 *2 = 4.
A really clever way of finding the GCF of 2 numbers is Euclid's algorithm. It can be used for very large numbers where it would be time consuming and/or rather difficult to find prime factors:
Given two whole numbers where a is greater than b, do the division a ÷ b = c with remainder R.
Replace a with b, replace b with R and repeat the division.
Repeat step 2 until R=0.
When R=0, the divisor, b, in the last equation is the greatest common factor.
So applying this to our problem:
244 / 48 = 5 remainder 4
Replacing a (244) with 48 and b (48) with R (4):-
48/4 = 12 remainder 0.
So the GCF is 4.
