Which term describes the largest number that is a factor of two or more numbers?

The term that describes the largest number that is a factor of two or more numbers is the Greatest Common Factor, often abbreviated as GCF. The GCF is determined by identifying the common factors of the numbers involved and selecting the largest one among them. It serves as a critical concept in various areas of mathematics, particularly in simplifying fractions, finding least common multiples, and solving problems related to divisibility.

For example, if you are given the numbers 12 and 18, the factors of 12 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12, while the factors of 18 are 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, and 18. The common factors are 1, 2, 3, and 6, and among these, the greatest is 6, making the GCF of 12 and 18 equal to 6.

While terms like Common Factor, Prime Factor, and Multiple relate to numbers and their relationships, they do not specifically describe the greatest one. A Common Factor would simply refer to any shared factor of the numbers, not the largest one. Prime Factor pertains specifically to factors that are prime numbers, while a Multiple refers to