Answer:
8
Explanation:
To find the least common factor for 24, 40,72.
First, express each number as a product of its prime factors in index form.
[tex]\begin{gathered} 24=2\times2\times2\times3=2^3\times3 \\ 40=2\times2\times2\times5=2^3\times5 \\ 72=2\times2\times2\times3\times3=2^3\times3^2 \end{gathered}[/tex]Next, we observe that in the three products, the term 2³ is common.
Therefore, the greatest common factor for 24, 40, and 72 is:
[tex]2^3=8[/tex]The GCF of 24, 40, and 72 is 8.
