Question

In the following exercises, find the greatest common factor.

$72,162$

Short answer

GCF is 18.

Step-by-step solution

Step 1. Given information.

The given expressions are:

$72,162$

Step 2. Find the GCF. 

Factor each coefficient into primes and write the variables with exponents in expanded form.

$$\begin{gathered} 72=2·2·2·3·3 \\ 162=2·3·3·3·3 \end{gathered}$$

Bring down the common factors,

GCF is:

$$\begin{gathered} =2·3·3 \\ =18 \end{gathered}$$