QA – Basic

LCM AND HCF

Highest Common factor (HCF) or Greatest Common divisor (GCD) :
Definition of HCF
Factor: A number which completely divides another number i.e. leave a remainder of 0, is
called a factor of such number.
For example
15
2 and 3 are factors of 6 and 3 and 5 are factor of 15
Also 3 is a common factor in both 6 and 15.
Similarly,

8
30
So, we can see that only 2 is common in all the three numbers 6, 8 and 30. No other factor is
common in all.
HCF of two or more than two numbers is the greatest possible number that can divide all
these numbers exactly, without leaving any remainder.
For example
Factors of 24: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24.
Factors of 36: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 18, 36.
So, 12 will be the HCF of 24 and 36.
Example: Find the HCF of 126, 588.
136 = 2 x 32x 7
588 = 22x 3 x 7

HCF of 136 and

Methods of finding HCF

There are two common methods of finding the HCF.
(i) Factor Method
(ii) Division Method

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Factor Method :
a) Step 1: Factorize each number into product of prime factors with their respective
powers, the process we call prime factorization.

For example: 720= 24 x 32 x 5; 120 = 23 x 3 x 5; 540= 22 x 33 x 5

This can be done only by trial and error

b) Step 2: Identify all distinct prime number. For example prime factors included in
720, 120 and 540 are 2, 3, 5
c) Step 3: Take the lowest power of each prime number. For example in 720, 120 and
540, prime factors with their lower power will be: 22 , 3 , 5
d) Step 4: Multiply these numbers. So HCF of 720, 120 and 540 is 22 x 3 x 5 =60

Examples:
1) Find HCF of 90, 300 and 750.
Step 1:
90 = 2 32 51
300 = 22 31 52
750 = 2 3 53
Step 2: Prime numbers are 2, 3, 5
Step 3: Prime numbers with Lowest powers are 2, 3 , 5

Step 4: Product of all prime numbers with Lowest power is 2x3x5=30

HCF= 30

Alternatively, we can identify the common factor by observation, say 10. After dividing each
number by 10, we are left with 9, 30 and 75. Again the common factor is 3. Dividing each
number with 3, we are left with 3, 10 and 25. There is no more common factor. So the HCF
is 10 x 3 =30.

2) Find the HCF of 8820, 2100 and 1050

Step 1:
8820 = 2 32 51 72
2100 = 22 31 52 71
1050 = 2 3 52 7

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Step 2: Prime numbers are 2, 3, 5 and 7

Step 3: Prime numbers with Lowest powers are 2, 3 , 5 and 7

Step 4: Product of all prime numbers with Lowest power is 2x3x5x7=210

HCF= 210

Alternatively, we can identify the common factor by observation, say 10. After dividing each
number by 10, we are left with 882, 210 and 105. Again the common factor is 7. Dividing
each number with 7, we are left with 126, 30 and 15. Next we can see, 3 is a common factor.
Dividing each number by 3, we are left with 42, 10 and 5. There is no more common factor.
So the HCF is 10 x 3 =30.

HCF by Division Method:

Take the two smallest numbers amongst the given numbers and divide the larger with the
smaller one. Then divide the divisor by the remainder and again divide the divisor
(remainder of the previous division) by the next remainder and so on until the remainder is
zero. If there are more than two numbers after the process with 2 numbers, we divide the
third number by the last divisor obtained in the above process and so on.

Examples
1) Find the HCF of 60 and 150.
SOLUTION 60)150(2
120
30)60(2
60
x
Hence, 30 is the HCF of 60 and 150.

2) Find the HCF of 1080 and 1728.

SOLUTION 1080)1782(1
1080
702)1080(1
702
378)702(1
378
324)378(1
324
54)324(6
324
0
Hence, 54 is the HCF of 1080 and 1782.

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3) Find the HCF of 1008, 588 and 980.

SOLUTION First we consider the two smallest number 588 and 980.
588)980(1
588
392)588(1
392
196)392(2
392
0
196)1008(5
980
28)196(7
196
x

Hence, the HCF is 28.

Short cut method

For 2 numbers P and Q, HCF will be a factor of (P-Q)

1) Find the HCF of 119 and 136.

SOLUTION: The difference

Both 119 and 136 are divisible by 17. So HCF is 17

2) Find the HCF of 180 and 196.

SOLUTION: The difference
Neither 196 nor 180 is divisible by 16
Factors of 16: 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16
So by trial and error, we work out the highest common factor is 4

3) Find the HCF of 28, 36 and 48.

SOLUTION: The smallest difference between any 2 numbers, 28 and
HCF is a a factor of 8

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Factors of 8: 8,4,2,1
Highest number amongst the above which divides all 3 of 28, 36 and 48 is 4
Therefore HCF=4

LCM (LEAST COMMON MULTIPLE)

Definition
Let’s take 2 numbers, say 4 and 6
Multiples of 4: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60….
Multiples of 6: 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, 48, 54, 60, 66, 72, 78, 84, 90…..
As can be seen, there are many common multiples of 4 and 6 like 12, 24, 36 etc
Let’s take 3 numbers, 6, 9 and 12
Multiples of 6: 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, 48, 54, 60, 66, 72, 78, 84, 90…..
Multiples of 9: 9, 18, 27, 36, 45, 54, 63, 72, 81, 90, 99, 108, 117, 126, 135….
Multiples of 12: 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168…..
So, we can see that the common multiples of 6, 9 and 12 are 36, 72, 108, 144,… etc.
Amongst these, 36 is the smallest common multiple.
The least common multiple (LCM) of a set of numbers is the smallest positive number that is
a multiple of all these numbers.
For example, LCM of 3 and 4 is 12
LCM of 10, 15 and 20 is 60
LCM of 12, 18, 30 is 180
LCM of 16, 28, 98 is 784

Methods of finding LCM

Basically, there are two methods to find the LCM.
(i) Factor Method
(ii) Division Method
Factor Method:

a) Step 1: Factorize each number into product of prime factors with their respective
powers, the process we call prime factorization.

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For example: 144= 24 x 32; 360 = 23 x 32 x 5; 700= 22 x 52 x7

This can be done only by trial and error

b) Step 2: Identify all distinct prime number. For example prime factors included in 144,
360 and 700 are 2, 3, 5 and 7
c) Step 3: Take the highest power of each prime number. For example in 144, 360 and
700, prime factors with their highest power will be: 24 , 32 , 52, 7
d) Step 4: Multiply these numbers. So LCM of 144, 360 and 700 is 24 x 32 x 52x 7 =25200

Examples:

1) Find LCM of 12, 20, 54.

Solution:
Step 1:
12 = 22 31
20 = 22 51
54 = 2 33
Step 2: Prime numbers are 2, 3, 5
Step 3: Prime numbers with Highest powers are 22, 33 , 5

Step 4: Product of all prime numbers with highest power is 22x 33 x 5=540

LCM= 540

2) Find LCM of 245, 45, 525

Solution
Step 1:
245 = 5 72
45 = 32 51
2
525 = 3 7
Step 2: Prime numbers are 3, 5, 7
Step 3: Prime numbers with Highest powers are 32, 52 , 72

Step 4: Product of all prime numbers with highest power is 32x 52 x 72= 11025

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3) Find the LCM of 24, 120,720.

SOLUTION: 720 is a multiple of both 24 and 120, therefore LCM= 720

4) Find the LCM of 42, 63 and 210.

SOLUTION: LCM of 42 and 210 is 210 (42 x5=210).

Step 1:

210=2x3x5x7

63= 32 x7

Step 2: Prime factors are 2, 3, 5, and 7

Step 3: Prime factors with their highest powers are 2, 32, 5 and 7

Step 4: Product of all such number is 2x32x 5x7=630

Division Method:

Examples:

1) Find the LCM of 216, 270 and 324.

SOLUTION 4 216, 270,
324
2 54, 135, 81
3 27, 135, 81
3 9, 45, 27
3 3, 15, 9
3 1, 5, 3
5 1, 5, 1
1, 1, 1
Thus the required LCM
2) Find the LCM of 210, 9009, 3135.

2 210, 9009, 3135

3 105, 9009, 3135
3 35, 3003, 1045
5 35, 1001, 1045
7 7, 1001, 209
11 1, 143, 209

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SOLUTION 13 1, 13, 19
19 1, 1, 19
1, 1, 1

Thus the required LCM

=1711710

Important rules for HCF:

1) HCF of 1 and any number is 1
2) HCF of 2 equal numbers is that number itself. HCF of 5,5 is 5
3) If in a set of numbers, one number is the factor of all other numbers, or all numbers
are multiples of one number, then HCF is that number. For example HCF of (3, 6, 12,
15, 24, 30, 120) is 3, as all the other numbers are multiples of 3
4) If in a set of numbers no 2 numbers have a common factor, i.e. they are all co-prime
to each other then the HCF is 1. For example HCF of (34, 39, 77, 23, 95) is 1, as no 2
numbers in the entire set has a common factor.

Important rules for HCF:

1) LCM of 1 and any number is that number. For example LCM of 1,5 is 5
2) LCM of 2 equal numbers is that number itself. LCM of 5,5 is 5
3) If in a set of numbers, one number is the multiple of all other numbers, or all
numbers are factors of one of the numbers, then LCM is that number. For example
LCM of (6, 8, 12, 15, 24, 30, 120) is 120, as all the other numbers are factors of 120
4) If in a set of numbers no 2 numbers have a common factor, i.e. they are all co-prime
to each other then the LCM is the product of all numbers. For example LCM of (3, 11,
7, 2, 5) is 2310, as no 2 numbers in the entire set has a common factor.

SOLVED EXAMPLES
1) Find the least possible number which can be divided by 48, 24 and 36.

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The number which is divisible by 48, 36 and 24 it must be the common multiple of all the
given numbers. Since we need such a least number then we have to find out just the LCM of
48, 36 and 24.
The LCM of 48, 36 and
Hence, the least possible no. is 144, which is divisible by all the given numbers.
2) In the above problem what is the least possible number of 4 digits which is divisible
by all the numbers 48, 36 and 24.
Since the least possible no. is 144, but it is a three digit number. So we can take the integral
multiples of 144 which must be divisible by the given numbers. Now since the least possible
5 digit number is 10000, so the required number must be equal to or greater than 10,00. So
when we multiply 144 by 7. We get the required result 1008. Thus 1008 is the least
possible 4 digit number which is divisible by 48, 36 and 24.
Alternatively: Divide the least possible 4 digit no. by 144 and then add the difference of the
divisor and remainder to the least possible 4 digit number. This will be the required number.

So, 144)1000(6
864
136
Now,
Thus the required number

3) Find the largest possible number 5 digits which is exactly divisible by 48, 36 and 24.
Since the largest 3 digit number is 99999. So the required number cannot exceed 99999
anyhow, now we take the appropriate multiple of 144. Since 144 is divisible by the given
numbers, so the multiples of 144 must be divisible by the given numbers. Hence
which is more than 99999. Therefore 144 x 69 = 10080 -144= 99936 is the
largest possible 5 digit number.

4) Find the number of numbers lying between 1 and 900 which are divisible by each of
3, 5 and 7.
The least possible number which is divisible by 3, 5 and 7 = LCM of 3, 5, 7 = 105. So, the first
such number is 105 and the other numbers are the multiples of 105 105, 210, 315, 420,
525, 630, 735, 840. Thus there are total 8 numbers lying between 1 and 900 which are
divisible by 3, 5 and 7.

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5) Find the number of numbers lying between 3000 and 1, 00,000 which are divisible by
15, 35 and 77and are even also.
The required number must be the multiples of the LCM of 15, 35 and 77.Now the LCM of
15,35 and 77 = 1155.So the other numbers are: 3465, 4620, 5775… 99330. Thus there are
total 84 numbers which are divisible by 15, and 77 but only 42 numbers are even every
alternate number even. Thus there are total 42 required numbers.

6) Find the least possible perfect square number which is exactly divisible by 8, 12, 21
and 77.
The required number must be the divisible by the given numbers so it can be the LCM or its
multiple number. Now the LCM of 8, 12, 21 and 77

But the required number is a perfect square. Thus all factors must be present even number
of times. Thus the required number
( ) ( )

7) Ram can do a work in 15 days and Shyam can do the same work in 20 days. How
many days will it take if both of them start working together?
Let us assume total work = LCM of (15,20) units = 60 units. Now, since 60 units of work is
being done by Ram in 15 days, so Ram is doing 4 units of work per day and similarly, Shyam
is doing 3 units of work per day. Hence, together they are doing 7 units of work in one day.
So, finally they will take
days to complete the work.

8) Time, speed and distance: Circular motion: The speed of Hari is 12 m/s and the
speed of Ramesh is 30 m/s. They are running around a circular track of length 2400
m in the same direction. After how much time will they meet at the starting point if
they start running at same time?
Time taken by Hari in taking one round = 200 Time taken by B in taking one round =80 LCM
(200, 80) = 400
9) Number system: Tolling the bell: There are two bells in a temple. Both the bells toll
at a regular interval of 24 sec and 32 sec respectively. After how much time will they
toll together for the first time?
Time taken by the 1st bell to toll = 24

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Time taken by the 2nd bell to toll = 32

LCM (24, 32) = 96 sec

10) In the above problem how many times these bell will toll together from 10:00 am till
10:00 PM on the same day if they toll together for the first time at 10:00 am
The total time since 10 : 00 AM till 10 : 00 PM seconds.
Now since the two bells toll together at the interval of 96 seconds.So the number of times
when they will toll together

But since the bells toll together at 10 : 00 PM also. Hence total ( ) times these
bells will toll together in the given duration of time.

11) Number system: Number of rows: There are 32 apples, 48 oranges and 128 mangos
and they have to be arranged in several rows in such a way that every row contains
the same number of fruits of one type. What is the minimum number of rows
required for this to happen?
We can put one fruit in one row, and in (32+48+128) =208 rows, we can arrange all the
fruits. Or, we can put two fruits in one row and can arrange all the fruits in 104 rows. But for
the rows to be minimum, the number of fruits should be maximum in one row.
HCF of 32, 48, 128 = 16, so 16 fruits should be there in one row.
Hence, the number of rows = 32/16 + 48/16 + 128/16 =2+3+8=13

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