What is the greatest common factor (GCF) of 12 and 16?

To determine the greatest common factor (GCF) of 12 and 16, we can start by listing the factors of each number.

The factors of 12 are:

1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12

The factors of 16 are:

1, 2, 4, 8, 16

Next, we identify the common factors between the two sets of factors. The common factors of 12 and 16 are:

1, 2, 4

Out of these common factors, the greatest one is 4. Therefore, the GCF of 12 and 16 is 4.

This choice is the correct answer because it is the largest number that can evenly divide both 12 and 16, fulfilling the definition of the greatest common factor.