Identify a composite number other than 1 that is a factor of both 24 and 42.
To find a composite number that is a factor of both 24 and 42, we need to determine the factors of each number and identify their common factors.
The factors of 24 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24.
The factors of 42 are 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 14, 21, and 42.
The common factors of 24 and 42 are 1, 2, 3, and 6. However, 1 is not a composite number, so we need to find another common factor.
Among the common factors of 24 and 42, the composite factor is 6.
Therefore, 6 is a composite number that is a factor of both 24 and 42.