The highest common factor (HCF) is the largest positive integer that divides each of the given numbers without leaving a remainder. Let’s analyze the numbers 1, 2, and 12 to determine their HCF.
1. **Factors of 1:** The only factor of 1 is 1 itself.
2. **Factors of 2:** The factors of 2 are 1 and 2.
3. **Factors of 12:** The factors of 12 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12.
Now, let’s find the common factors of all three numbers:
- Common factors of 1: {1}
- Common factors of 2: {1, 2}
- Common factors of 12: {1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12}
From this, the common factor among 1, 2, and 12 is 1 and 2. However, since we are looking for the highest common factor, we can confidently say that the HCF of 1, 2, and 12 is 1.
In conclusion, the highest common factor (HCF) of the numbers 1, 2, and 12 is 1.