What is the greatest common factor (GCF) of 8 and 12?

To find the greatest common factor (GCF) of 8 and 12, we begin by identifying the factors of each number.

The factors of 8 are:

1, 2, 4, 8.

The factors of 12 are:

1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12.

Next, we look for the common factors between the two sets. The common factors of 8 and 12 are:

1, 2, and 4.

Among these common factors, the greatest one is 4. Therefore, the greatest common factor of 8 and 12 is indeed 4. This means that 4 is the largest number that divides both 8 and 12 without leaving a remainder.

Understanding this process is crucial because it shows how to systematically determine the GCF, which is useful for simplifying fractions, finding common denominators, and solving problems involving ratios.