What is GCD(1, 76)?
The GCD (Greatest Common Divisor) is the largest number that can divide two (or more) numbers without leaving a remainder.
The GCD of 1 and 76 is 1.
How to compute GCD(1, 76)
Comparing the divisors of 1 and 76
This first method consists in listing the divisors of the two numbers and then identifying the largest one they have in common.
Divisors of 1:
1
Divisors of 76:
1, 2, 4, 19, 38, 76
We can see from these two lists that the greatest divisor they have in common is: 1
For small numbers, this can be done quickly. However, as numbers increase, the list of potential divisors grows longer, making this method cumbersome and less practical.
Euclid's algorithm
Fortunately, there's a much more efficient method: Euclid's algorithm. It's particularly well-suited to larger numbers. Here's how it works:
- Divide 76 by 1. The quotient is 76 and the remainder is 0.
- When you reach a remainder of 0, the last divisor (in this case, 1) is the GCD.