2006-09-17 00:55:53 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
Hi there Ashley, go with the answer from aRTy. He's right. Trying to get the H.C.F. by factoring both numbers is unbelievably dumb except in very small special cases.
By the way, the term H.C.F. is gradually falling out of use and being replaced by G.C.D. - Greatest Common Divisor.
2006-09-17 02:48:49 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is a method rather than a formula:
1 Write down the two numbers.
2 Subtract the smaller from the larger and replace the larger by that difference.
3. Repeat the above two steps until one of the numbers is zero.
4. The other is the answer.
Example: start with 14 and 35.
Take away 14 from 35 to get 21.
Take away 14 from 21 to get 7.
Take away 7 from 14 to get 7.
Take away 7 from 7 to get 0.
Answer is 7.
2006-09-17 01:18:01 · answer #2 · answered by aRTy 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hightest Common Factor in relationship to two numbers
Example:
100 = 2 x 2 x 5 x 5
90 = 2 x 3 x 3 x 5
Notice that 2 and 5 appear in both factors
The hichest Common factor is found by multiplying all the factors which appear on both lists.
HFC = 2 x 5 = 10
The highest common factor is 10 for 100 and 90
2006-09-17 02:26:15 · answer #3 · answered by SAMUEL D 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
A formula would be possible only if the numbers are related to each other.
Otherwise, you have to factorize all numbers for which you want the HCF. Then look for the factors that are common to all, repeat all, numbers.
Then multiply these, and you get the HCF.
2006-09-17 01:06:43 · answer #4 · answered by curious 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Highest Common Factor ? No formula - just apply common sense.
2006-09-17 01:03:35 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋