To find the greatest common factor (GCF) of 18 and 24, we can use different methods such as prime factorization, long division, or listing common factors. Here are the steps to find the GCF of 18 and 24 using prime factorization:
- Find the prime factors of each number: the prime factors of 18 are 2 x 3 x 3, and the prime factors of 24 are 2 x 2 x 2 x 3.
- Identify the common prime factors: both 18 and 24 have 2 and 3 as prime factors.
- Multiply the common prime factors: the GCF of 18 and 24 is the product of the common prime factors, which is 2 x 3 = 6.
Therefore, the GCF of 18 and 24 is 6.