Week #1 in Math 10 “Greatest Common Factor”

For the first week in Math 10, something new I learned is how to find the Greatest Common Factor (GCF) between 2 numbers with factor trees. First list down the two numbers, for example 483 and 575, then focus on one side first. I am going to focus on 483 first. Find the first two factors that would make 483, it would be better if one of the two factors you found is a prime number. So I found 161, and 3, 3 would be a prime number. Now branch off of 161, and find another 2 factors. I found 23 and 7, 7 is prime so no need to branch off of it, and same with 23. Now do the same steps and find the prime factors of 575. The prime factors I found were 5 x 5 x 23. Now list both prime factors. 483= 3x7x23, 575= 5x5x23. Now look at the factors and see which ones are similar. I only found 23 being the only similar factor, making it the Greatest Common Factor. But if there were more than two factors, you would multiply the similar factors, and the result would be the GCF.