common divisor
- noun
- /ˈkɑːmən dɪˈvaɪzər/
- Specialized
:
divisor común
- When calculating the common divisor of multiple integers, it is advisable to start with their factors.
Examples
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To find the greatest common divisor of 12 and 15, we can use prime factorization.
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So that means that there is no common divisor between N and this, except for one of course.
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We want the greatest common divisor to be to be one.
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So if we take the greatest common divisor of the orders, we get one.
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The common divisor of two numbers helps simplify fractions in mathematics.
Synonyms
1
2.7
A number that divides two or more numbers exactly
A number that divides two or more numbers exactly with no remainder
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'common' = shared among items and 'divisor' = a number that divides without remainder, so a 'common divisor' is plainly a divisor shared by two or more integers. This transparent noun + noun composition follows regular English and cross-linguistic logic, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can readily infer the term's meaning.
Etymology
Common divisor comes from a simple image: imagine two cakes and one knife that cuts both into equal pieces, where the divisor is like the knife that 'divides' a number into exact parts and common means the same knife works for both. So a common divisor is a number that 'divides' two or more numbers with 'no remainder'.