If two positive integers x and y are written as x = a2b3 and y = a3b ; and a and b are prime numbers , then HCF ( x, y ) is :
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The correct answer is option 1 i.e. a2b.
Given:
x = a²b³ , y = a³b
HCF takes the minimum power of each common prime factor:
For a: min(2, 3) = 2
For b: min(3, 1) = 1
HCF(x, y) = a²b