What is the HCF of 32 and 48?

To find the highest common factor (HCF) of 32 and 48, we can use various methods, such as prime factorization or the division method. Here’s how to use the division method:

Step 1: Divide the larger number (48) by the smaller number (32).

48 ÷ 32 = 1 with a remainder of 16

Step 2: Divide the divisor (32) by the remainder (16).

32 ÷ 16 = 2

Step 3: Divide the previous remainder (16) by the current remainder (0).

16 ÷ 0 is undefined since we can’t divide any number by zero.

Step 4: The HCF is the divisor of the last non-zero remainder, which is 16 in this case.

Therefore, the HCF of 32 and 48 is 16.