greatest common divisor
noun
: the largest integer or the polynomial of highest degree that is an exact divisor of each of two or more integers or polynomials
called also greatest common factor
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Algorithms are old—around 300 B.C., Euclid invented one for finding the greatest common divisor of two integers.
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Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
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Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
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“Greatest common divisor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/greatest%20common%20divisor. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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