GCF (HCF) of 3 and 21

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What is the Greatest Common Divisor of 3 and 21?

Answer

GCF (HCF) of 3 and 21 is
3

Common factors: 1, 3

3 divides 21 (21 ÷ 3 = 7), so the GCF is the smaller number itself.

3 — prime

21 = 3 × 7

Prime321Lowest power
3333
7—7—

— = power 0: the prime is not a factor of this number, so it cannot be in the GCF.

GCF = 3

See Also

FAQ

What is the Greatest Common Divisor of 3 and 21?

GCF (HCF) of 3 and 21 is 3

How to find the GCF of 3 and 21?

You can find the GCF of 3 and 21 by listing all factors of both numbers and picking the greatest common one, or by prime factorization. The GCF of 3 and 21 is 3.

What prime factors do 3 and 21 share?

The prime factorizations of 3 and 21 have 3 in common, and multiplying those shared primes gives 3 — exactly the greatest common factor.

How does the GCF reduce the fraction 3/21?

Divide the numerator and the denominator by the GCF 3: 3 ÷ 3 = 1 and 21 ÷ 3 = 7. So 3/21 in lowest terms is 1/7.