Question

Ed has 36 red jelly beans 48 blue jelly beans and 72 yellow jelly beans he wants to divide them equally among his friends at the lunch table what is the greatest number ed can use to divide the jelly beans evenly?

Answer 1

find greatest common factor

36=2*2*3*3
48=2*2*2*2*3
72=2*2*2*3*3

common factor is 2*2*3=12

he can use 12 to divide

Answer 2

12 is the greatest number because it is the highest common factor between the three numbers.