Unlock the Greatest Common Divisor (GCD)
Discover the GCD of two numbers with our interactive calculator. Understand the magic behind the Euclidean Algorithm!
GCD Result:
Euclidean Algorithm Steps
| Step | a | b | Remainder (a % b) |
|---|---|---|---|
Understanding Greatest Common Divisor (GCD)
The Greatest Common Divisor (GCD), also known as the Highest Common Factor (HCF), of two or more integers is the largest positive integer that divides each of the integers. For example, the GCD of 12 and 18 is 6 because 6 is the largest number that divides both 12 and 18 without leaving a remainder.
Mathematically, we can represent GCD of two numbers \(a\) and \(b\) as: $$GCD(a, b)$$
The Euclidean Algorithm is an efficient method for computing the GCD of two integers. The algorithm is based on the principle that the greatest common divisor of two numbers does not change if the larger number is replaced by its difference with the smaller number. This process is repeated until one of the numbers becomes zero, at which point the GCD is the other number. In our calculator, we visualize these steps to help you understand how the GCD is found.
GCD is a fundamental concept in number theory and has applications in various fields like cryptography, simplifying fractions, and computer science.