Examples
Example 1: Find the HCF of 10, 20 and 30.
Solution:
Prime factorization of 10: 10 = 2, 5.
Prime factorization of 20: 20 = 2, 2, 5.
Prime factorization of 30: 30 = 2, 3, 5.
Take the smallest power of common prime factors and multiply them together to get the HCF.
Therefore, HCF(10, 20, 30) = 10.
Example 2: Find the HCF of 24, 68 and 10.
Solution:
Prime factorization of 24: 24 = 2, 2, 2, 3.
Prime factorization of 68: 68 = 2, 2, 17.
Prime factorization of 10: 10 = 2, 5.
Take the smallest power of common prime factors and multiply them together to get the HCF.
Therefore, HCF(24, 68, 10) = 2.
Example 3: Find the HCF of 32, 48 and 96.
Solution:
Prime factorization of 32: 32 = 2, 2, 2, 2, 2.
Prime factorization of 48: 48 = 2, 2, 2, 2, 3.
Prime factorization of 96: 96 = 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3.
Take the smallest power of common prime factors and multiply them together to get the HCF.
Therefore, HCF(32, 48, 96) = 96.
Exercise
1. HCF(54,72,90) = 18
2. HCF(45,63,81) = 9
3. HCF(15,25,35) = 5
4. HCF(16, 24, 32) = 8
5. HCF(10, 15, 20) = 5
6. HCF(24, 36, 48) = 12
7. HCF(18, 27, 45) = 9
8. HCF(24, 40, 56) = 8
9. HCF(15, 21, 27) = 3
10. HCF(36, 54, 72) = 19