the biggest common divisor of 2 numbers using arrays - c++

Question

How could I find the biggest common divisor of 2 numbers using array? I tried to solve it using 2 arrays and I couldn't finish it. How could I improve this program?
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
unsigned int A[2][10], B[2][10], a, b, c_exp, d, i1, P, x;
bool apartine = false;
cout << "a="; cin >> a;
cout << "b="; cin >> b;
P = 1;
c_exp = 0;
i1 = 0;
while (a % 2 == 0)
{
c_exp++;
a = a/2;
}
if (c_exp != 0)
{
A[i1][0] = 2;
A[i1][1] = c_exp;
i1++;
}
d = 3;
while (a != 1 && d <= a)
{
c_exp=0;
while (a % d == 0)
{
c_exp++;
a = a/d;
}
if (c_exp!=0)
{
A[i1][0] = d;
A[i1][1] = c_exp;
i1++;
}
d = d+2;
}
cout << "\nMatricea A contine:";
for (int i = 0; i < i1; i++)
{
cout << "\n";
for (int j = 0; j < 2; j++)
cout << A[i][j] << ",";
}
c_exp = 0;
i1 = 0;
while (b % 2 == 0)
{
c_exp++;
b = b/2;
}
if (c_exp != 0)
{
B[i1][0] = 2;
B[i1][1] = c_exp;
i1++;
}
d = 3;
while (b != 1 && d <= b)
{
c_exp = 0;
while (b % d == 0)
{
c_exp++;
b = b/d;
}
if (c_exp != 0)
{
B[i1][0] = d;
B[i1][1] = c_exp;
i1++;
}
d = d+2;
}
cout << "\nMatricea B contine:";
for (int i = 0; i < i1; i++)
{
cout << "\n";
for (int j = 0; j < 2; j++)
cout << B[i][j] << ",";
}
return 0;
}
From now on I have to find if the first number of first array exist in the second array and after this I have to compare the exponents of the same number of both array and the lowest one I have to add it to product. After this I have to repeat the same proccess with the second number to the last one of the first array. The problem is that I don't know how to write this.I have to mention that this program isn't complete.
Any ideas?

Answer 1

If you need better solution then you can avoid array and use the below logic.
int main()
{
int a =12 ,b = 20;
int min = a>b ? a:b; // finding minimum
if(min > 1)
{
for (int i=min/2; i>1; i--)//Reverse loop from min/2 to 1
{
if(a%i==0 && b%i==0)
{
cout<<i;
break;
}
}
}
else if(min == 1)
{
cout<<"GCD is 1";
}
else
cout<<"NO GCD";
return 0;
}
You can also check the working example Greatest Common Divisor

Answer 2

I am not quite sure what you are trying to achieve with your code. It looks over complicated. If I were to find the biggest common divisor of two numbers I would do something like the following:
## This is not a correct implementation in C++ (but close to it) ##
Read the two integers **a** and **b**
int max_div(int a, int b){
int div = a > b ? a : b;
while (div != 1 && (a%div != 0 && b%div != 0)){
div--;
}
return div;
}
This function starts with the minimum of a and b as the highest possible common divisor and then works its way backwards until one of two possible outcomes:
It finds a common divisor (a%div == 0 and b%div == 0)
It reaches one (always a common divisor)
EDIT : Now returns one if no higher divisor is found. (Was returning zero which made no sense)