Question

find the hcf of 48,56,72 by prime factorization method.

Answer 1

Step 1:Factorize all the numbers.

48=2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 3

56=2 x 2 x 2 x 7

72=2 x 2 x 2 x 3 x 3

Step 2: In factorization, treat each number as an individual and take the number common to all the factorizations done.

From the factorization of the three numbers, we have 2 common but as we are treating each number individually, we have 2 common 3 times i.e. we have three 2s common.

Step 3: Multiply all the common numbers to calculate the HCF.

In this case we have,

HCF=2 x 2 x 2=8