# gcd > Compute the [greatest common divisor][gcd] (gcd).
The [greatest common divisor][gcd] (gcd) of two non-zero integers `a` and `b` is the largest positive integer which divides both `a` and `b` without a remainder. The gcd is also known as the **greatest common factor** (gcf), **highest common factor** (hcf), **highest common divisor**, and **greatest common measure** (gcm).
## Usage ```javascript var gcd = require( '@stdlib/math/base/special/gcd' ); ``` #### gcd( a, b ) Computes the [greatest common divisor][gcd] (gcd). ```javascript var v = gcd( 48, 18 ); // returns 6 ``` If both `a` and `b` are `0`, the function returns `0`. ```javascript var v = gcd( 0, 0 ); // returns 0 ``` Both `a` and `b` must have integer values; otherwise, the function returns `NaN`. ```javascript var v = gcd( 3.14, 18 ); // returns NaN v = gcd( 48, 3.14 ); // returns NaN v = gcd( NaN, 18 ); // returns NaN v = gcd( 48, NaN ); // returns NaN ```
## Examples ```javascript var randu = require( '@stdlib/random/base/randu' ); var round = require( '@stdlib/math/base/special/round' ); var gcd = require( '@stdlib/math/base/special/gcd' ); var a; var b; var v; var i; for ( i = 0; i < 100; i++ ) { a = round( randu()*50.0 ); b = round( randu()*50.0 ); v = gcd( a, b ); console.log( 'gcd(%d,%d) = %d', a, b, v ); } ```
## References - Stein, Josef. 1967. "Computational problems associated with Racah algebra." _Journal of Computational Physics_ 1 (3): 397–405. doi:[10.1016/0021-9991(67)90047-2][@stein:1967].