What is the hcf of 12, 18 and 9

oops. I guess 3 is the hcf

To find the highest common factor (HCF) of 12, 18, and 9, we can use the prime factorization method.

Step 1: Prime Factorization
Let's find the prime factorization of each number:
- 12 = 2 * 2 * 3
- 18 = 2 * 3 * 3
- 9 = 3 * 3

Step 2: Finding Common Prime Factors
Now, let's identify the common prime factors among these numbers:
- 12 has 2 and 3 as common factors
- 18 has 2 and 3 as common factors
- 9 has only the prime factor 3

Step 3: Determining the HCF
The HCF is the product of the common prime factors with the lowest exponent. In this case, both numbers have the prime factor 3 in common as their lowest exponent.

HCF = 3

Therefore, the highest common factor of 12, 18, and 9 is 3.

To find the highest common factor (HCF) of 12, 18, and 9, we can use the method of prime factorization. First, let's find the prime factorization of each number.

The prime factorization of 12 is: 2 × 2 × 3
The prime factorization of 18 is: 2 × 3 × 3
The prime factorization of 9 is: 3 × 3

Now, we can look at the common prime factors among these three numbers. In this case, the only common prime factor is 3.

To find the HCF, we multiply the common prime factors once:

HCF = 3

Therefore, the HCF of 12, 18, and 9 is 3.

since 2 does not divide 9,

GCF = 1