Examples
Example 1: Find the HCF of 60 and 20.
Solution:
Prime factorization of 60: 60 = 2, 2, 3, 5.
Prime factorization of 20: 20 = 2, 2, 5.
Take the smallest power of common prime factors and multiply them together to get the HCF.
Therefore, HCF(60, 20) = 20.
Example 2: Find the HCF of 24 and 36.
Solution:
Prime factorization of 24: 24 = 2, 2, 2, 3.
Prime factorization of 36: 36 = 2, 2, 3, 3.
Take the smallest power of common prime factors and multiply them together to get the HCF.
Therefore, HCF(24, 36) = 12.
Example 3: Find the HCF of 72 and 90.
Solution:
Prime factorization of 72: 72 = 2, 2, 2, 3, 3.
Prime factorization of 90: 90 = 2, 3, 3, 5.
Take the smallest power of common prime factors and multiply them together to get the HCF.
Therefore, HCF(72, 90) = 18.
Exercise
1. HCF(36,48) = 12
2. HCF(42,63) = 21
3. HCF(81,108) = 27
4. HCF(60,72) = 12
5. HCF(16,24) = 8
6. HCF(12,50) = 2
7. HCF(8,100) = 4
8. HCF(20,24) = 4
9. HCF(27,15) = 3
10. HCF(15,75) = 15