Answer
$14$
Work Step by Step
Factor each number completely to obtain:
$42 = 6(7) = 2(3)(7)
\\56=8(7) = 2(2)(2)(7)$
Notice that the one factor of $2$ and one factor of $7$ is common to both factorization.
Thus, the greatest common factor is $2(7) = 14$.
Therefore, the greatest common divisor is also $14$.
