How to Get the Least Common Multiple of

Numbers
n mathematics, a multiple is a product of any number and an integer. The numbers 16, -48 and 72
are multiples of 8 because 8 x 2 = 16, 8 x -3 = -48 and 8 x 9 = 72. Similarly, the first five positive
multiples of 7 are the following:
7, 14, 21, 28, 35.
In this post, we will particularly talk about positive integers and positive multiples. This is in
preparation for the discussions on addition and subtraction of fractions.
We can always find a common multiple given two or more numbers. For example, if we list all
the positive multiples of 2 and 3, we have
2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20
and
3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30.
As we can see, in the list, 6, 12 and 18 are common multiples of 2 and 3. If we continue further,
there are still other multiples, and in fact, we will never run out of multiples.
Can you predict the next five multiples of 2 and 3 without listing?
The most important among the multiples is the least common multiple. The least common
multiple is the smallest among all the multiples. Clearly, the least common multiple of 2 and 3 is
6. Here are some examples.
Example 1: Find the least common multiple of 3 and 5
Multiples of 3: 3, 6, 9. 12, 15, 18
Multiples of 5: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25,30
As we can see, 15 appeared as the first common multiple, so 15 is the least common multiple of
3 and 5.
Example 2: Find the least common multiple of 3, 4, and 6.

In this example, we find the least multiple that are common to the three numbers.
Multiples of 3: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15
Multiples of 4: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20
Multiples of 6: 6, 12, 18, 24, 30
So, the least common multiple of 3, 4, and 6 is 12.
Example 3: Find the least common multiple of 3, 8 and 12.
Multiples of 3: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24
Multiples of 8: 8, 16, 24,
Mulitples of 12: 12, 24, 36, 48, 60
So, the least common multiple of 3, 4 and 6 is 24.

How to Get the Greatest Common Factor of Numbers

Example 1: What are the common factors of 12 and 18?
Factors of 12: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12
Factors of 18: 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 18
If we examine the factors of 12 and 18, we see that there are 4 common factors: 1, 2, 3 and 6.
Among the factors, 6 is the largest. Therefore, we say that 6 is the greatest common
factor (GCF) or greatest common divisor (GCD) of 12 and 18. Example 2 : Find the GCF of
20, 32, 28.
Factors of 20: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 20
Factors of 32: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32
Factors of 28: 1, 2, 4, 7, 14, 28
As we can see, the common factors of 20, 32, and 28 are 1, 2, and 4. The GCD or GCF of the
three numbers is 4.
Another way to get the greatest common factor of numbers is to write their prime factorization.
Prime factorization is the process of expressing a number as product of prime numbers. A prime

number is a number which is only divisible by 1. The first 10 prime numbers are 2, 3, 5, 7, 11,
13, 17, 19, 23, and 29.
We will use the examples above and use prime factorization in order to get their greatest
common factor.
Example 3: Find the GCF of 12 and 18 using prime factorization.
Prime factorization of 12: 2 2 3
Prime Factorization of 18: 2 3 3
Now to get the greatest common factor, we multiply the common factors to both numbers. The
common factors to both are 2 and 3, therefore, the greatest common factor of 12 and 18 is 2 3
= 6.
Example 4: Find the GCF of 12 and 18 using prime factorization.
Prime factorization of 20: 2 2 5
Prime factorization of 32: 2 2 2 2
Prime factorization of 28: 2 2 2
In this example, 2 and 2 are common to all the three numbers, so the GCD or GCD of these three
numbers is 2 2 which is equal to 4.
The difference between the two methods is that in the first method, you list all the factors and
find the largest number. In the second method, you list the prime factorization and the multiply
the factors that are common to all numbers.

Whats the use of greatest common factor?

Well, GCF are used a lot in mathematics, but in the Civil Service Exam, you will use it when you
reduce fractions to lowest terms. For example, your final answer is

and is not on the choices. Then, you know that you have to get the greatest common factor of
12 and 18 and divide both the numerator and denominator by it. So, the answer is

Practice Exercises

I. Find the GCD of each of the following.

a.) 6, 10
b.) 18, 42
c.) 12, 48, 60
d.) 56, 72
e.) 225, 75
II. Find the LCM of each of the following.
a.) 3, 4
b.) 2, 5
c.) 3, 6, 8
d.) 3, 4, 5
e.) 6, 12, 15
III. Practice Problems
1.) The fractions 1/3, 1/4 and 1/8 are added. To add them, you need to convert them to similar
fractions. What will be the least possible denominator of these similar fractions?
2.) In a disco, the red lights blink every 3 seconds and the blues light blink every 5 seconds. The
two lights blink every ___ seconds.
3.) Anna, Karen, and Nina go to the same gym. Anna goes every 2 days, Karen goes every 3
days, and Nina goes every 7 days. On June 1, all of them were seen on the gym. What is the
soonest date that they will be seen on the gym on same day?
4.) Consider the following sequences:
Sequence 1: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24,
Sequence 2: 6, 12, 18, 24,
Notice that 12 and 24 are the first and second common numbers, respectively, to both sequences.
What is the 10th common number?
5.) In Senior High School athletic meet, there are 24 students from Grade 11 and 30 students
from Grade 12. Groups are formed such that in each group should have an equal number students
from each Grade level.
(a) If everyone is included, how many of such groups can be formed?
(b) When the largest number of groups is formed, how many students from each Grade level are
there in one group?
6.) Reduce 42/56 to lowest terms.
7.) Boxes of chocolates have a height of 6 cm each. Boxes of cookies have a height of 8 cm each.
A combination of these boxes will be packed in a large box. What should be the minimum height
of the large box so that the smaller boxes would exactly fit?

8.) Square cardboard of the same size are to completely cover a rectangle with dimensions 18 cm
by 12 What should be the dimensions of the largest possible squares so that there is no wasted
cardboard?
9.) Cubes of the same size are to be placed inside a rectangular box. What is the size of the
largest possible cubes that can fit exactly inside the box if its dimensions are 21 cm by 35 cm by
84 cm and no space is to be wasted?
10.) In a flour shop, a cake flour comes in 5-kg packages, a pastry flour comes in 3-kg packages
and the bread flour comes in 6 kg packages. If Gina bought the same number of kilograms of
these flour, what is the minimum number of kilograms of each she must have bought?
Below are the solutions and answers to the Practice Exercises and Problems for the Week 1
Review on LCM and GCD.
Practice Exercises
I. Find the GCD of each of the following.
a.) 6, 10
Answer: 2
b.) 18, 42
Answer: 6
c.) 12, 48, 60
Answer: 12
d.) 56, 72
Answer: 8
e.) 225, 75
Answer: 75
II. Find the LCM of each of the following.
a.) 3, 4
Answer: 12
b.) 2, 5
Answer: 10
c.) 3, 6, 8
Answer: 24
d.) 3, 4, 5
Answer: 60
e.) 6, 12, 15
Answer: 60

III. Practice Problems Solutions and Answers

1.) 24 (GCD of 3, 4, and 8)
2.) 15 (GCD of 3 and 15)
3.) Solution: GCD of 3, 7, and 21 is 42. They will be seen in the gym on the same day in 42 days.
Since June has 30 days, we need an additional 12 days to complete the 42 days. Therefore, they
will be seen on the same day on July 12 (of the same year of course).
Answer: July 12
4.) Solution: The LCM of the two sequences is 12 and since we are looking for the tenth
common number, we multiply 12 by 10. This gives us 120.
Answer: 120
5.) (a) Solution: LCM of 24 and 30 is 6. That is 6 groups.
(b) Solution: From (a) we can form 6 groups. There are 30 + 24 = 54 students. So in each group,
there are 54/6 = 9 members. Since there are 6 groups, we divide each Grade level by 6. That is,
24/6 = 6 Grade 11 and 30/6 = 5 Grade 12 students in each group.
Answer: 4 Grade 11 students and 5 Grade 12 students.
6.) Reduce 42/56 to lowest terms.
Solution: GCD of 42 and 56 is 14. 42 divided by 14 is 3 and 56 divided by 14 is 4. Therefore, the
lowest terms is 3/4.
Answer: 3/4
7.) Answer: 24 (LCM of 6 and 8)
8.) Answer: 6 (GCD of 18 and 12)
9.) Solution: The GCD of 21, 35, and 84 is 7. So, the cube has a side length of 7 cm.
Answer: 7 by 7 by 7
10.) Answer: 30 (GCD of 3, 5, and 6).