What is the greatest common factor (GCF) of 12 and 16?

To find the greatest common factor (GCF) of 12 and 16, we begin by determining the factors of each number.

The factors of 12 are:

1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12

The factors of 16 are:

1, 2, 4, 8, 16

Next, we identify the common factors between the two sets:

The common factors of 12 and 16 are 1, 2, and 4.

Now, among these common factors, the greatest one is 4. Therefore, 4 is the largest number that divides both 12 and 16 without leaving a remainder, making it the greatest common factor.

Hence, the greatest common factor of 12 and 16 is 4.