2006-07-02 22:09:29 · 3 answers · asked by Jojy S P 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
a factor is a whole number which divides your number to leave a whole number answer - for example 3 is a factor of 15 but 4 isn't because 15/3 is 5 but 15/4 is 3.75
the highest common factor is the largest factor which both of your numbers have in common - for example, 18 and 24 - the factors of 18 are 2, 3, 6 and 9; the factors of 24 are 2, 3 and 6 so the HCF of 18 and 24 is 6
2006-07-02 22:16:51 · answer #1 · answered by Ivanhoe Fats 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The highest common factor of two consecutive numbers is one.
Consider n and n+1.
Suppose f is a factor of n. Then (n+1)/f will have a remainder of one, unless f is one. Therefore, f is not a factor of n+1.
Please don't use abbreviations, I had to look this up.
2006-07-03 05:44:21 · answer #2 · answered by Triple M 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The usual terminology is Greatest Common Divisor (GCD). and for two consecutive numbers it will always be one. The proof is as follows:
take the numbers n and n+1 and let the GCD be g, i.e. g=(n,n+1)
by definition g|n,n+1 (this is read as g divides both n and n+1)
therefore g|n+1-n
g|1
therefore g=1
2006-07-03 05:27:17 · answer #3 · answered by Paul C 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋