1. The problem is to find the greatest common divisor (GCD) of the numbers 312, 260, and 156. 2. First, find the prime factorization of each number: - $312 = 2^3 \times 3 \times 13$ - $260 = 2^2 \times 5 \times 13$ - $156 = 2^2 \times 3 \times 13$ 3. Identify the common prime factors with the smallest powers: - The common prime factors are $2$ and $13$. - The smallest power of $2$ common to all is $2^2$. - The smallest power of $13$ common to all is $13^1$. 4. Multiply these common factors to get the GCD: $$\text{GCD} = 2^2 \times 13 = 4 \times 13 = 52$$ 5. Therefore, the greatest common divisor of 312, 260, and 156 is $52$.