Greatest Common Factor

Greatest Common Factor - The greatest common factor of two or more numbers is the greatest number that is a factor of each of them.
For short, this little mathmatical tactic is called GCF. Clever, I know.

Example: Find the GCF for 8 and 12.

You would find all factos for 8 and all factors for 12. Then you would compare the lists and find the greatest commin factor of the two numbers. Real life application unknown at this time.
An easier and much more convienent and more simple way to under GCF is to think of the GCF as the biggest whole number that can divide evenly into both numbers. That works better.

A good way to find the GCF for two numbers if you're not using a calculator and randomly trying whole numbers is to find the prime factorization of each number, and then compare. I may have already said this.

Another clever way to find the GCF of two or more numbers is to find all of the factors of the lowest number, and check the higest of those numbers with the other number or numbers, until you find the GCF