Answer
$24$
Work Step by Step
Factor each number completely to obtain:
$72 = 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 3 \cdot 3
\\96 = 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 3$
Since three 2s are one 3 are common to both, the greatest common factor of the two given numbers is:
$2 \cdot 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 3 = 24$
