What is the greatest common divisor of 18 and 24?

To find the greatest common divisor (GCD) of two numbers, you can list the factors of each number and then identify the largest one they have in common.

The factors of 18 are: 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 18.

The factors of 24 are: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24.

From these lists, the common factors of 18 and 24 are 1, 2, 3, and 6. Among these, the largest common factor is 6. This is why 6 is the greatest common divisor of 18 and 24.

Understanding the GCD is important because it is used in various areas of mathematics, including simplifying fractions and solving problems involving ratios. Knowing how to find the GCD helps in breaking down complex problems into simpler components.