The highest common factor, or HCF, of numbers \(a\) and \(b\) is the largest whole number \(m\) such that \(m\) divides \(a\) and \(m\) divides \(b.\)
Example: Find the HCF of \(4\) and \(6.\)
Solution \(\downarrow\)
The divisors of \(4\) are \(1,2,\) and \(4.\) The divisors of \(6\) are \(1,2,3,\) and \(6.\) The common divisors are \(1\) and \(2.\) So, \(2\) is the HCF.
Find the HCF of these two numbers.