What is the greatest common divisor (GCD) of 24 and 36?

To determine the greatest common divisor (GCD) of 24 and 36, we can start by identifying the factors of each number:

The factors of 24 are:

1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24

The factors of 36 are:

1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18, 36

Next, we look for the common factors between the two sets. The common factors of 24 and 36 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12. The GCD is the largest factor that is common to both numbers.

Among the common factors, the greatest is 12. Therefore, the GCD of 24 and 36 is 12. This result is crucial for problems involving fractions, simplifications, and other mathematical operations, as understanding the GCD can help simplify ratios and solve problems more efficiently.