Open In App

GCD of more than two (or array) numbers

Improve
Improve
Improve
Like Article
Like
Save Article
Save
Share
Report issue
Report

Given an array of numbers, find GCD of the array elements. In a previous post we find GCD of two number.

Examples:

Input  : arr[] = {1, 2, 3}
Output : 1

Input  : arr[] = {2, 4, 6, 8}
Output : 2
Recommended Practice

The GCD of three or more numbers equals the product of the prime factors common to all the numbers, but it can also be calculated by repeatedly taking the GCDs of pairs of numbers. 

gcd(a, b, c) = gcd(a, gcd(b, c)) 
             = gcd(gcd(a, b), c) 
             = gcd(gcd(a, c), b)

For an array of elements, we do the following. We will also check for the result if the result at any step becomes 1 we will just return the 1 as gcd(1,x)=1. 

result = arr[0]
For i = 1 to n-1
   result = GCD(result, arr[i])

Below is the implementation of the above idea.

C++




// C++ program to find GCD of two or
// more numbers
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
  
// Function to return gcd of a and b
int gcd(int a, int b)
{
  if (a == 0)
    return b;
  return gcd(b % a, a);
}
  
// Function to find gcd of array of
// numbers
int findGCD(int arr[], int n)
{
  int result = arr[0];
  for (int i = 1; i < n; i++)
  {
    result = gcd(arr[i], result);
  
    if(result == 1)
    {
    return 1;
    }
  }
  return result;
}
  
// Driver code
int main()
{
  int arr[] = { 2, 4, 6, 8, 16 };
  int n = sizeof(arr) / sizeof(arr[0]);
  cout << findGCD(arr, n) << endl;
  return 0;
}


Java




// Java program to find GCD of two or
// more numbers
  
public class GCD {
    // Function to return gcd of a and b
    static int gcd(int a, int b)
    {
        if (a == 0)
            return b;
        return gcd(b % a, a);
    }
  
    // Function to find gcd of array of
    // numbers
    static int findGCD(int arr[], int n)
    {
        int result = arr[0];
        for (int element: arr){
            result = gcd(result, element);
  
            if(result == 1)
            {
               return 1;
            }
        }
  
        return result;
    }
  
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        int arr[] = { 2, 4, 6, 8, 16 };
        int n = arr.length;
        System.out.println(findGCD(arr, n));
    }
}
  
// This code is contributed by Saket Kumar


Python




# GCD of more than two (or array) numbers
  
# Function implements the Euclidean 
# algorithm to find H.C.F. of two number
def find_gcd(x, y):
      
    while(y):
        x, y = y, x % y
      
    return x
          
# Driver Code        
l = [2, 4, 6, 8, 16]
  
num1 = l[0]
num2 = l[1]
gcd = find_gcd(num1, num2)
  
for i in range(2, len(l)):
    gcd = find_gcd(gcd, l[i])
      
print(gcd)
  
# Code contributed by Mohit Gupta_OMG


C#




// C# program to find GCD of 
// two or more numbers
using System;
  
public class GCD {
      
    // Function to return gcd of a and b
    static int gcd(int a, int b)
    {
        if (a == 0)
            return b;
        return gcd(b % a, a);
    }
  
    // Function to find gcd of 
    // array of numbers
    static int findGCD(int[] arr, int n)
    {
        int result = arr[0];
        for (int i = 1; i < n; i++){
            result = gcd(arr[i], result);
  
            if(result == 1)
            {
               return 1;
            }
        }
  
        return result;
    }
      
    // Driver Code
    public static void Main()
    {
        int[] arr = { 2, 4, 6, 8, 16 };
        int n = arr.Length;
        Console.Write(findGCD(arr, n));
    }
}
  
// This code is contributed by nitin mittal


PHP




<?php
// PHP program to find GCD of two or
// more numbers
  
// Function to return gcd of a and b
function gcd( $a, $b)
{
    if ($a == 0)
        return $b;
    return gcd($b % $a, $a);
}
  
// Function to find gcd of array of
// numbers
function findGCD($arr, $n)
{
    $result = $arr[0];
  
    for ($i = 1; $i < $n; $i++){
        $result = gcd($arr[$i], $result);
  
        if($result == 1)
        {
           return 1;
        }
    }
    return $result;
}
  
// Driver code
$arr = array( 2, 4, 6, 8, 16 );
$n = sizeof($arr);
echo (findGCD($arr, $n));
  
// This code is contributed by
// Prasad Kshirsagar.
?>


Javascript




<script>
  
// Javascript program to find GCD of two or 
// more numbers 
  
// Function to return gcd of a and b 
function gcd(a, b) 
    if (a == 0) 
        return b; 
    return gcd(b % a, a); 
  
// Function to find gcd of array of 
// numbers 
function findGCD(arr, n) 
    let result = arr[0]; 
    for (let i = 1; i < n; i++) 
    
        result = gcd(arr[i], result); 
  
        if(result == 1) 
        
        return 1; 
        
    
    return result; 
  
// Driver code 
  
    let arr = [ 2, 4, 6, 8, 16 ]; 
    let n = arr.length; 
    document.write(findGCD(arr, n) + "<br>"); 
  
// This is code is contributed by Mayank Tyagi
  
</script>


Output

2

Time Complexity: O(N * log(N)), where N is the largest element of the array
Auxiliary Space: O(1)

Recursive Method: Implementation of Algorithm recursively :

C++




#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
  
// recursive implementation
int GcdOfArray(vector<int>& arr, int idx)
{
    if (idx == arr.size() - 1) {
        return arr[idx];
    }
    int a = arr[idx];
    int b = GcdOfArray(arr, idx + 1);
    return __gcd(
        a, b); // __gcd(a,b) is inbuilt library function
}
  
int main()
{
    vector<int> arr = { 1, 2, 3 };
    cout << GcdOfArray(arr, 0) << "\n";
  
    arr = { 2, 4, 6, 8 };
    cout << GcdOfArray(arr, 0) << "\n";
    return 0;
}


Java




import java.util.*;
class GFG
{
    
    // Recursive function to return gcd of a and b  
    static int __gcd(int a, int b)  
    {  
        return b == 0? a:__gcd(b, a % b);     
    }
    
// recursive implementation
static int GcdOfArray(int[] arr, int idx)
{
    if (idx == arr.length - 1) {
        return arr[idx];
    }
    int a = arr[idx];
    int b = GcdOfArray(arr, idx + 1);
    return __gcd(
        a, b); // __gcd(a,b) is inbuilt library function
}
  
public static void main(String[] args)
{
   int[] arr = { 1, 2, 3 };
    System.out.print(GcdOfArray(arr, 0)+ "\n");
  
    int[] arr1 = { 2, 4, 6, 8 };
    System.out.print(GcdOfArray(arr1, 0)+ "\n");
}
}
  
// This code is contributed by gauravrajput1


Python3




# To find GCD of an array by recursive approach       
import math
  
# Recursive Implementation
def GcdOfArray(arr, idx):
    if idx == len(arr)-1:
        return arr[idx]
        
    a = arr[idx]
    b = GcdOfArray(arr,idx+1)
      
    return math.gcd(a, b)
  
# Driver Code 
arr = [1, 2, 3]
print(GcdOfArray(arr,0))
  
arr = [2, 4, 6, 8]
print(GcdOfArray(arr,0))
  
# Code contributed by Gautam goel (gautamgoel962)


C#




// To find GCD of an array by recursive approach
using System;
   
public class GCD {
       
    // Function to return gcd of a and b
    static int gcd(int a, int b)
    {
        if (a == 0)
            return b;
        return gcd(b % a, a);
    }
   
    // Recursive Implementation
    static int GcdOfArray(int[] arr, int idx)
    {
        if(idx==arr.Length-1)
        {
            return arr[idx];
        }
        int a = arr[idx];
        int b = GcdOfArray(arr, idx + 1);
        return gcd(a,b);
          
    }
       
    // Driver Code
    public static void Main()
    {
        int[] arr = { 1,2,3 };
        Console.Write(GcdOfArray(arr, 0)+"\n");
          
        int[] arr1 = { 2,4,6,8 };
        Console.Write(GcdOfArray(arr1, 0));
    }
}
   
// This code is contributed by adityapatil12


Javascript




// JavaScript code to implement this approach
  
// function to calculate gcd
function gcd(a, b) 
    if (!b) 
       return a;
    return gcd(b, a % b); 
}
  
// recursive implementation
function GcdOfArray(arr, idx)
{
    if (idx == arr.length - 1) {
        return arr[idx];
    }
    var a = arr[idx];
    var b = GcdOfArray(arr, idx + 1);
    return gcd(a, b); 
}
  
// Driver Code
var arr = [ 1, 2, 3 ];
console.log(GcdOfArray(arr, 0));
  
arr = [ 2, 4, 6, 8 ];
console.log(GcdOfArray(arr, 0));
  
// This code is contributed by phasing17


Output

1
2

Time Complexity: O(N * log(N)), where N is the largest element of the array
Auxiliary Space: O(N)

Iterative version of the above solution

C++




#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
  
// iterative implementation
int getGCD(int a, int b)
{
    while (a > 0 && b > 0) {
        if (a > b) {
            a = a % b;
        }
        else {
            b = b % a;
        }
    }
    if (a == 0) {
        return b;
    }
    return a;
}
  
int GcdOfArray(vector<int>& arr)
{
    int gcd = 0;
    for (int i = 0; i < arr.size(); i++) {
        gcd = getGCD(gcd, arr[i]);
    }
    return gcd;
}
  
int main()
{
    vector<int> arr = { 1, 2, 3 };
    cout << GcdOfArray(arr) << "\n";
  
    arr = { 2, 4, 6, 8 };
    cout << GcdOfArray(arr) << "\n";
    return 0;
}


Java




import java.util.*;
class GFG
{
    
    // iterative implementationto return gcd of a and b  
    static int getGCD(int a, int b)
{
    while (a > 0 && b > 0) {
        if (a > b) {
            a = a % b;
        }
        else {
            b = b % a;
        }
    }
    if (a == 0) {
        return b;
    }
    return a;
}
    
// recursive implementation
static int GcdOfArray(int[] arr)
{
        int gcd = 0;
    for (int i = 0; i < arr.length; i++) {
        gcd = getGCD(gcd, arr[i]);
    }
    return gcd;
}
  
public static void main(String[] args)
{
   int[] arr = { 1, 2, 3 };
    System.out.print(GcdOfArray(arr)+ "\n");
  
    int[] arr1 = { 2, 4, 6, 8 };
    System.out.print(GcdOfArray(arr1)+ "\n");
}
}


Python




# Python implementation of above approach
# iterative implementation
def getGCD(a, b):
    while(a > 0 and b > 0):
        if(a > b):
            a = a % b
        else:
            b = b % a
              
    if(a == 0):
        return b
      
    return a
  
  
def GcdOfArray(arr):
    gcd = 0
    for i in range(len(arr)):
        gcd = getGCD(gcd, arr[i])
    return gcd
  
  
# driver code to test above functions
arr = [1,2,3]
print(GcdOfArray(arr))
  
arr = [2,4,6,8]
print(GcdOfArray(arr))
  
# THIS CODE IS CONTRIBUTED BY YASH AGARWAL(YASHAGARWAL2852002)


C#




// To find GCD of an array by recursive approach
using System;
  
public class GCD {
  
    // Function to return gcd of a and b
    static int getGCD(int a, int b)
    {
        while (a > 0 && b > 0) {
            if (a > b) {
                a = a % b;
            }
            else {
                b = b % a;
            }
        }
        if (a == 0) {
            return b;
        }
        return a;
    }
  
    // Recursive Implementation
    static int GcdOfArray(int[] arr)
    {
        int gcd = 0;
        for (int i = 0; i < arr.Length; i++) {
            gcd = getGCD(gcd, arr[i]);
        }
        return gcd;
    }
  
    // Driver Code
    public static void Main()
    {
        int[] arr = { 1, 2, 3 };
        Console.Write(GcdOfArray(arr) + "\n");
  
        int[] arr1 = { 2, 4, 6, 8 };
        Console.Write(GcdOfArray(arr1));
    }
}


Javascript




// JavaScript code to implement this approach
  
// function to calculate gcd
function getGCD( a,  b)
{
    while (a > 0 && b > 0) {
        if (a > b) {
            a = a % b;
        }
        else {
            b = b % a;
        }
    }
    if (a == 0) {
        return b;
    }
    return a;
}
  
// iterative implementation
function GcdOfArray(arr)
{
    let gcd = 0;
    for (int i = 0; i < arr.size(); i++) {
        gcd = getGCD(gcd, arr[i]);
    }
    return gcd;
}
  
// Driver Code
var arr = [ 1, 2, 3 ];
console.log(GcdOfArray(arr));
  
arr = [ 2, 4, 6, 8 ];
console.log(GcdOfArray(arr));
  
// This code is contributed by phasing17


Output

1
2

Time Complexity: O(N * log(X)), where X is the largest element of the array
Auxiliary Space: O(1)

 



Last Updated : 13 Sep, 2023
Like Article
Save Article
Previous
Next
Share your thoughts in the comments
Similar Reads