Python Program - Find HCF of Two Numbers

HCF stands for Highest Common Factor. The HCF of two numbers is the largest number that divides both of them.

For example - HCF of 20 and 25 is 5, and HCF of 50 and 100 is 50.

Method 1: Using For Loop to find HCF of two numbers

In the example below, for loop is used to iterate the variable i from 1 to the smaller number. If both numbers are divisible by i, then it modifies the HCF and finally gives the HCF of two numbers.

x = 50
y = 100
if x > y:
  x, y = y, x
for i in range(1,x+1):
  if x%i == 0 and y%i == 0:
    hcf = i

print("HCF of", x, "and", y, "is:", hcf)

The above code will give the following output:

HCF of 50 and 100 is: 50

Method 2: Using While Loop to find HCF of two numbers

In the example below, larger number is replaced by a number which is calculated by subtracting the smaller number from the larger number. The process is continued until the two numbers become equal which will be HCF of two numbers.

p = x = 20
q = y = 25
while x != y:
  if x > y:
    x = x - y
  else:
    y = y - x

print("HCF of", p, "and", q, "is:", x)

The above code will give the following output:

HCF of 20 and 25 is: 5

Method 3: Using the recursive function to find HCF of two numbers

In the example below, recursive function is used. In this method, instead of using subtraction operator(as in above example), modulo operator is used. This method is also known as Euclidean algorithm.

def hcf(x, y):
  if y == 0:
    return x
  return hcf(y, x%y)

x = 250
y = 475

print("HCF of", x, "and", y, "is:", hcf(x,y))

The above code will give the following output:

HCF of 250 and 475 is: 25

Method 4: Using gcd function of math module

The HCF of two numbers can be calculated using gcd function of math module. Consider the following example.

import math as ma

x = 80
y = 100

print("HCF of", x, "and", y, "is:", ma.gcd(x,y))

The above code will give the following output:

HCF of 80 and 100 is: 20