LCM and GCF Lesson

Objective:​ Discover a deeper meaning of the terms Least Common Multiple

and Greatest Common Factor and understand why the Greatest Common
Multiple and Least Common Factor cannot exist/are not useful.

Content Standards
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.NS.B.4
Find the greatest common factor of two whole numbers less than or equal to 100 and the least
common multiple of two whole numbers less than or equal to 12.

Mathematical goals:
1. There is no such thing as a “Greatest Common Multiple” because the list of multiples for
any number can continue on in a pattern infinitely. A multiple is a number that can be
divided by another number without a remainder (So whole number A is a multiple of
whole number B and whole number C). If a whole number B is multiplied by any other
whole number C, C could be any number, so therefore the greatest common multiple is B
x infinity, so therefore cannot exist because there are infinitely many common multiples.
2. The Least Common Factor is 1 for every number because by definition of factors of a
number, all numbers share 1 as a factor. Even prime numbers have two factors: 1 and
itself.
3. Understand why GCM and LCF are not useful.
4. Understanding the difference between factors and multiples and therefore being able to
categorize numbers as having multiple factors or just two factors (namely, composite and
prime numbers respectively).
5. Increase efficiency in finding factors and multiples for numbers/ number pairs
6. Understand ways that LCM and GCF can be applied in word problems and develop a
better understanding of why each is useful.

Mathematical Practices
Relevant Common Core Standards for math practice

MP1: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

- Students will use their background knowledge of factor pairs, math processes, and LCM
and GCF to make sense of why GCM and LCF are not real things used in mathematics.
Though this might take some time persevering (because students might become frustrated
about listing factors or debating why there are infinitely many multiples of a number).

MP2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

 - This is the essence of this lesson. Students will balance abstract thinking (why multiples
go on infinitely, why every number is divisible by 1, application based word problems)
and quantitative thinking (represented on our dice, our Knowledge Throwback sheet, and
Exit Ticket).

MP3: Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.

- Students from the 4 groups will have to present their ideas to the group, based on the
teacher’s designation of what their group was in charge of determining (GCF, LCM,
LCF, GCM). This will cause them to create an argument for why the way they performed
the operation the way they did. In a sense, a “debate” should occur. In their explanation
of their processes, there will be critiques of their reasoning (definitely with the LCF and
GCM groups) if not from other students, from the teacher.

MP4: Model with mathematics.

- The dice model math numbers, and also hint at the concept of probability (since the
rolling of the dice indicates a random selection of number pairs).
- Students can use pictures in solving word problems involving GCF and LCM.

MP5: Use appropriate tools strategically.

- The teacher might prompt students to use different strategies of finding GCF and LCM to
highlight differences that will arise in their group work and how the groups who are
assigned to find GCM and LCF choose to find these quantities.
- Students should know whether to use LCM or GCF in word problems.

MP6: Attend to precision.

- Students must be precise when using the list method, as each number listed is important
to the overall calculation. Students might also need to be aware of notation, such as using
ellipses to indicate that a list of multiples goes on forever.

MP7: Look for and make use of structure.

- Students might utilize their knowledge of factors and definitions of pertinent vocabulary
to inform their work in groups.
- Students can look for structure in application based word problems in order to know if
they should use LCM or GCF to solve the problem.

Lesson Notes/ Instructions for the Teacher:

In previous experiences, students tend to easily mix up the terms “least common factor” and
“greatest common multiple” so this activity that helps students learn the true differences between
the two and why they can be useful. I suspect that this is an observation many teachers can make
of their students first learning about GCFs and LCMs. Educators should be sure that students
have clear definitions of both phrases before this lesson and can easily access these definitions
throughout this activity. For this lesson, I will distribute a worksheet for this unit including the
definitions of factors, multiples, LCM, GCF, prime numbers, composite numbers, multiplication,
division, and any other terms deemed relevant. Before this lesson, students should have a clear
understanding of how to find the factors and multiples of numbers, using at least one method,
potentially more. I included on the worksheet several practice problems to get students warmed
up before the lesson and provide clarity on the types of problems that they will be doing. During
this lesson, students will be split into four groups, separated across the classroom. In each group,
students will read the directions, roll the dice to choose two numbers (teacher must monitor to be
sure that numbers will work for activity), and follow the instructions to complete their goal.
Students should work collaboratively to solve the problem. See the below recommended lesson
structure to allocate proper time for the lesson.

Materials:
Worksheet (see sheet at bottom of the lesson with solutions), two dice for each of the 4 groups of
students that will be participating in the activity with different numbers on each (numbers should
all be composite, preferably with several factor pairs- see below for examples), one instruction
sheet for each group, scrap paper to work on.
- As a substitute for two dice, you can also create 2 spinners with the same numbers that
would have been on the dice. These spinners would develop the idea of the randomized
nature of the activity, therefore legitimizing the number selection process.

Suggested Lesson
Structure
Fluency Practice Classwork (15 minutes total):
Prerequisites for the lesson (Demonstrated by completion of the worksheet)...
1. In Lesson 1 of this unit, students would have learned how to calculate the GCF and LCM
of a pair of numbers (know at least the list method but may have other methods)
2. Basic understanding of prime factorization/ factor trees
3. Students should understand the definitions of factors and multiples.
4. Students should understand the definitions of multiplication and division.
5. Students should understand prime numbers vs composite numbers.
6. Students should have at least one method under their belts for finding factors and
multiples.

Opening (3-4 minutes): ​Review definitions printed on the worksheet (see below worksheet
titled ​Exploring Factors and Multiples​). The teacher should call on different students to read the
definitions aloud and ask if students have any questions about the definitions before moving on.
Here, the students should also be encouraged to come up with examples to support the
definitions using numbers rather than words. For example, students could say “8 is a multiple of
2 since 2 x 4=8 and 2 and 4 are both whole numbers)

Exercises (5-6 minutes): ​Give students time to try some of the practice examples on their own
(see below worksheet titled ​Exploring Factors and Multiples​). These problems should be
familiar to students at this point in the curriculum.

Review of Exercises (5-7 minutes): ​Review answers to the exercises (see below worksheet
titled ​Exploring Factors and Multiples Solutions​). Ask students to quickly share their answers
and prompt them to give reasoning behind their answers when applicable. Be sure to stop and
further review any questions that students got wrong or that the class seems confused about. Ask
if the class has any questions before moving on.

Ask the Class...

● How many multiples of 3, 4, and 9 did you write out on your worksheets? (wait for
answers, preferably students that wrote out many numbers). Is it really necessary to write
out that many multiples for each number when finding the LCM of two numbers? When
can we stop?
○ No, we don't have to write out that many multiples we can stop when the two lists
have the same number when using the list method.
● Will two numbers always have a common factor? Are there any numbers that will never
have a common factor with another number?
○ Yes, they always share 1, but not necessarily more. In other words, two numbers
will not always share a common factor (other than 1). Prime numbers will never
 share common factors with other numbers (other than 1) because their only
factors are one and itself.

**The above questions will help to refine students pre-existing experiences finding the
LCM and GCF**

Introduction to Activity (5 minutes total):

Read Hook to Storyline (about 3 minutes)
Show students the different faces of the cubes and different numbers on them (all will be
relatively simple numbers) and ask them if they think they can find multiples and factors of these
numbers. Then ask what about the LCM? The GCM? The LCF? The GCF? They will likely
assume this is an easy task for 6th graders and be confident in their abilities to do this.

Central Questions:
1. What can we say about factors and multiples of number pairs?
2. How can multiples and factors of number pairs tell us more information about numbers?
3. How do we know whether to find the GCF or LCM when solving word problems?

(Trying to show how least common factor and greatest common multiple do not reveal any new
information and develop a deeper definition of factors and multiples)

Set-up Activity (about 2 minutes)

Put groups of students up on board listed as groups 1, 2, 3 and 4. Try your best to mix these
groups up by ability level, not differentiating the groups. Assign each group to a corner of the
room and distribute paper instructions to the students and tell them to silently read the
instructions amongst their team members. Each group should have a set of dice, and all the dice
should be labeled with the numbers in the following chart (see below, under Completion of the
Activity). It is important that since this will be an individual group activity, students should not
talk to other groups or try to see what other groups are doing.
Instructions will say…
1. Roll the cube and find the least common factor of the two numbers you rolled using any
method you wish.
2. Roll the cube and find the least common multiple of the two numbers you rolled using
any method you wish.
3. Roll the cube and find the greatest common factor of the two numbers you rolled using
any method you wish.
4. Roll the cube and find the greatest common multiple of the two numbers you rolled using
any method you wish.
Completion of the Activity (5 minutes total):
Give each group time to read the instructions and do their best to solve the problem. The teacher
should make sure that it is possible to find the LCM/ GCM/LCF/GCF of the number pairs they
roll from the cube. Some example numbers that work are…
(Ideally, students should have one of these answers)

Cube 1 16 32 40 18 24 60

Cube 2 36 12 20 48 64 30

Greatest Common Multiple: ​Always infinity with any number pair so cannot exist! There is no
GCM because infinity is not a number.
Least Common Factor:​ Always 1 with any number pair
Greatest Common Factors:
16, 36= 6 32, 36= 4 40,36=4 18,36=18 24,36=12 60,36=12
16,12= 4 32,12= 4 40,12=4 18,12=6 24,12=12 60,12=12
16,20= 4 32,20=4 40,20=4 18,20=2 24,20=4 60,20=20
16,48= 16 32,48=16 40,48=8 18,48=6 24,48=24 60,48=12
16,64= 16 32,64=32 40,64=8 18,64=2 24,64= 8 60,64=4
16,30= 2 32,30=2 40,30=10 18,30=2 24,30=6 60,30=30

Least Common Multiples:

16, 36= 144 32, 36= 288 40,36=360 18,36=36 24,36=72 60,36=180
16,12= 48 32,12= 96 40,12=120 18,12=36 24,12=24 60,12=60
16,20= 80 32,20=160 40,20=40 18,20=180 24,20=120 60,20=60
16,48= 48 32,48= 96 40,48=240 18,48=144 24,48=48 60,48=240
16,64= 64 32,64=32 40,64=320 18,64=576 24,64= 192 60,64=960
16,30= 240 32,30=480 40,30=120 18,30=90 24,30=96 60,30=60

**Note: According to Common Core Standards, students at this age are only expected to be able
to calculate LCM for numbers 12 or lesser, so this may be a bit of a challenge for them. Offer
them extra assistance if they appear to be struggling with the larger numbers. Many of the larger
numbers are easy to work with (such as multiples of 10) so it is expected that students have a
well enough developed number sense that they can find the LCM with the given number pairs**

Groups to debate their answers (15 minutes total):

(5 minutes)
Match groups together based on whether they were looking at factors or multiples and allow
them to debate/discuss their answers. The teacher should structure debates so that students are
getting at the points the lesson intends to make. First, instruct groups to share their answers.
Groups will then present ​one ​most useful factor or multiple (either least or greatest) to the class
and explain why this is the more useful answer of the two.

The “aha” Moment (15 minutes)

Students should realize that you can’t have GCM (infinitely many multiples for any given
number) or LCF (always 1). This will come from a whole and small class discussion during
which one member from each group will represent the method they used for finding their
assigned method (GCF, LCM, GCM, LCF). Students will have to defend their method as being a
valid way of finding relationships between numbers.

Before students present their findings to the class, the teacher will ask the students to quietly
think about GCF, GCM, LCF, and LCM and which might be useful/ plausible, and which may
not. Students should be encouraged to find these relationships for numbers of their choosing and
see what findings they discover. Groups will then present and the teacher will ask individual
students to think about their own discoveries and how they may agree or disagree with their
classmates findings.

Present a word problem to the class. Ask them whether we should use GCF, GCM, LCF, or
LCM to solve the problem and why. When going over these examples with students, offer
several strategies (as described below) for students to solve word problems).

Example: ​Látrishae is at the grocery store buying hamburgers and hamburger buns for
the 4th of July. The burgers come in packs of 6 and the buns come in packs of 8. How
many packs of each (burgers and buns) should Látrishae buy the least amount of each,
but so that she has no buns or burgers left over?

Correct Answer: Students should use LCM to solve this problem. The LCM of 6 and 8 is
24 burgers and 24 buns (4 packs of burgers, 2 packs of buns). LCM should be used in this
context because the students are looking at multiples of either 6 or 8, corresponding to
the number in each pack, which is how many of each burgers and buns should be bought.
To conceptually grasp this idea, students can consider multiples as they relate to pack of
buns and burgers. Since 8 buns are in 1 pack, 16 buns are in 2 packs, 24 buns are in 3
packs and so on. Therefore, we are finding how many times we increase by 8 buns, for
example (N x 8, with N being number of packs). This is the definition of multiple, and the
students should know this definition from prior work. From today’s exercise, the students
should then determine that they should use LCM not GCM because the GCM is always
infinity (so does not exist because infinity is not a number) and therefore does not reveal
any new information about the number pair.
 One strategy students can use if they do not immediately recognize that this is an LCM
problem is trial and error. The student should know by now that only LCM and GCF are
useful but if they do not know which to use they can experiment and see which would
make sense within the context of the problem. For example, if the students found the GCF
of 6 and 8 it would be 2. This would mean that Latrishae would have to buy 2 packs of
each in order for them to be equal. But this does not make sense because it is not even
possible for Látrishae to buy just 2 burgers or just 2 buns, since the packs they come in
are larger than this. So students should apply common sense to realize that this is not the
right method to use, and that they must have to use LCM instead.

Students can also look for keywords in the word problem. Teacher should note that this
method is not foolproof, as it could differ for certain problems, so that student’s still must
use common sense to be sure their method makes sense. For example, one key word used
in this problem is least to signify using the “least” common multiple. Some other key
words signifying the use of LCM are smallest, next time, first, minimum, equal, identical
ect. These keywords can be presented to students with caution as hints, but not something
that necessarily works every time.

Emphasize how problems like this clearly connect to situations students might encounter in real
life, and how groupings like that of a least common multiple, for example, could not help them
find specific quantities, since these values are too general to make a statement about a situation
like that of Látrishae.

Example:​ A deli owner is trying to cut all his heroes in equal widths so that his
customers are all happy. He gets one delivery of pieces of bread that are each 72 inches in
width, and another delivery of pieces of bread that are 90 inches in width. He wants to cut
both pieces into strips of equal width that are as wide as possible, while only using whole
inches, not fractions of inches. How wide (in whole inches only) should she cut the
pieces of bread?

Correct Answer: Students should use GCF to solve this problem. The GCF of 72 and 90
is 18, so the longest width he can use is 18 inches (72: 1,2,3,4,6,8,9,12,18,24,36,72 and
90:1,2,3,5,6,9,10,15,18,30,45,90). GCF should be used in this context because the
students are looking at factors, or how many pieces of equal length the bread can be
divided into. Because total length of the bread is decreasing into pieces, the students must
use factors. The students should know this definition from prior work. From today’s
exercise, the students should then determine that they should use GCF not LCF because
the LCF is always one and therefore does not reveal any new information about the
number pair.
 One strategy students can use if they do not immediately recognize that this is a GCF
problem is trial and error. The student should know by now that only LCM and GCF are
useful but if they do not know which to use they can experiment and see which would
make sense within the context of the problem. For example, if the students found the LCM
of 90 and 72 it would be 360. This would mean that the deli owner would have to cut the
sandwiches into pieces 360 wide, which does not make sense because the bread is not
even that wide to begin with, so there is nothing you could possibly cut that is that long.
So students should apply common sense to realize that this is not the right method to use,
and that they must have to use GCF instead, because the cut pieces have to be smaller
than the original size of the bread.

Students can also look for keywords in the word problem. Teacher should note that this
method is not foolproof, as it could differ for certain problems, so that student’s still must
use common sense to be sure their method makes sense. For example, two key words used
in this problem is “equal” and wide “as possible” to signify using the “greatest”
common factor. Some other key words signifying the use of GCF are maximum, biggest,
largest, most, both, identical, divide, split up, ect. These keywords can be presented to
students with caution as hints, but not something that necessarily works every time.

Debrief of Activity (About 15 minutes):

Reinforcing and Consolidating Understanding
Rolling dice again and having the whole class see that the least common factor for every single
number on the dice is 1 and that the greatest common multiple is infinity (so does not exist
because infinity is not a number) for all number pairs rolled. This is because no matter what two
numbers you are presented with, each number’s multiples can be written as ongoing forever,
since adding more and more to the number never has to cease. Emphasize that this will be the
case with any set of numbers and that this is not useful because it does not reveal any new
information about the relationship between this number pair.

Give the LCF/GCF group a word problem that requires using GCF to solve it. Have them present
to the class WHY you must use GCF rather than LCF to solve this problem and why the other
will not work.

- Olivier needs to ship 18 lemon candies and 12 chocolate candies. He can pack only one
type of candy in each box and he must pack the same number of candies in each box.
What is the greatest number of candies Olivier can pack in each box if he wants to have
an equal number of candies in each box?
 Factors of 18: 1,2,3,​6​,9,18
Factors of 12:1,2,3,4,​6​,12

The greatest number of candies that Olivier can pack in each box is 6 because the GCF of
12 and 18 is 6. The group as a whole can discuss that the key word “greatest” allowed
them to see that they should use GCF to solve this problem. LCF is 1 so this is useful
because Olivier would have a lot of candy left over and would not be maximizing the
number of candies that he can fit in each box.

Give the LCM/GCM group a word problem that requires using LCM to solve it. Have them
present to the class WHY you must use LCM rather than GCM to solve this problem and why
the other will not work.
- A bell rings every 18 seconds, and another bell rings every 60 seconds. At 5:00 p.m., the
two bells ring simultaneously. What is the next time when both of the bells will ring at
the same time?

Multiples of 18: ​18, 36, 54, 72, 90, 108, 126, 144, 162, ​180​, 198...
Multiples of 60: ​60, 120, ​180​, 240, 300, 360, 420…

The next time the bells will ring is at 180 seconds past 5:00, so at 5:03. This is because if
the 18 second bell rings at 5:00 and the 60 second bell also rings at 5:00, then the LCM is
the very next time that both of the bells will ring, as their timers for when they ring begin
at the same time (5:00). The LCM is useful because it shows that each multiple of 18 and
60 are when the bells ring, and the smallest number these two numbers have in common
is when they will next ring at the same time. At 180 seconds, which is equivalent to 3
minutes, or at 5:03pm.

Conclusion
When informally assessing students’ understanding of the lesson, the instructor could ask
students to share what they learned, either in a small or large group setting. To summarize points
they could make about the moral of the story, I came up with a few points about concluding the
lesson.

● LCF and GCM are not useful categorizations of number pairs because they do not reveal
any new information about the numbers.
● LCM and GCF are useful in application problems when students can recognize that
factors is looking into divided groups while multiples are looking into groups that are
increasing in number.
 ● Learning how to determine factors and multiple of numbers allow us to construct more
complex knowledge about how two numbers relate to each other, which will help next
with simplifying, adding, and subtracting fractions.
○ Finding common denominators of fractions is a key concept that is based in the
content taught in this lesson. In order to establish a basis of knowledge of working
with numbers in the form A/B, students must know when to utilize their GCF and
LCM skills.
● Word problems often incorporate GCF and LCM, and the language involved in those
problems can give students insight to what type of process they should use to arrive at an
answer. As such, these processes have “real world applications” and are therefore
meaningful and important to master.
● When solving word problems with real life applications students should also use trial and
error to experiment with what happens if they look at multiples vs factors to see what
makes sense within the context of the problems.

Follow-Up question/ Exit Ticket

Students apply their new understanding by completing the exit ticket, allowing the teacher to
check in and be sure that students understand concepts fully. After completion of the lesson,
teachers should review the exit ticket to be sure that students fully understand the lesson.
 Worksheet: Exploring Factors and Multiples

If A = B x C...

A ​multiple ​is a number that can be divided by another number without a

remainder.
● A is a ​multiple ​of B and of C.

A ​factor ​is a number that can divide another number without a remainder.
● B and C are ​factors ​of A.

_____________________________________________________________

Least Common Multiple ​(LCM): the smallest whole number which is a

multiple of both numbers (divisible by both whole numbers).
Do you remember what a whole number is? Write a definition below!

(Answer: a whole number is a positive or negative counting number or 0.)

Greatest Common Factor ​(GCF): the greatest factor that divides two
whole numbers.

_____________________________________________________________

A ​prime number ​is a whole number that only has 2 factors: 1 and itself.
Which of these numbers is a prime number? (Hint: start by listing the factors
of each number.)
4, 12, 17

(Answer: 17 is a prime number because it only has 2 factors: 1 and 17.)

A ​composite number​ is a number with more than 2 factors. For example,

20 has 6 factors: 1, 2, 4, 5, 10, and 20. It is a composite number.

_____________________________________________________________
Multiplication: ​combining numbers (positive or negative, whole numbers,
fractions, or decimals) through the form ___ objects x ___ objects per
group.
What is the result of a multiplication problem called?

(Answer: product)

Division: ​separating numbers through the form ___ objects are in __

groups.
What is the result of a division problem called?

(Answer: quotient)
_____________________________________________________________
 Knowledge Throwback

To help you prepare for today’s lesson, try these Knowledge Throwback
questions! We learned these concepts yesterday. Then, check your answers
with a classmate.

1. Make a factor tree for 48.

2. What are the multiples of 9?

3. What is the LCM of 4 and 3?

4. What are the factors of 20?

5. What is the GCF of 20 and 30?

 Knowledge Throwback Solutions

To help you prepare for today’s lesson, try these Knowledge Throwback
questions! We learned these concepts yesterday. Then, check your answers
with a classmate. We will discuss our answers as a class too.

1. Make a factor tree for 48.

Some possible answers:

2. What are the multiples of 9?

Note: ​this is an important question for the storyline of this lesson. This will
be the a central point to the question up for debate in the class activity of
how there are infinitely many multiples of a number. So, in order to gauge
understanding of that fact (which I do not expect students to grasp initially),
noting how many multiples students list is a valuable data entry. Be aware
of the usage of the ellipses (or lack thereof) for students, as you might have
to introduce this concept along with explaining as the climax of the lesson
why a GCM does not exist.

9: 9, 18, ​27, 36, 45, 54, 63, 72, 81, 90, 99, 108...
3. What is the LCM of 3 and 4?

Note:​ once again, note the students’ use of ellipses, if any, and also where
students choose to stop listing. You might explain that it is only necessary to
list as many factors up until the Least Common Factors the pair shares
(here, that point is 12).

3: 3, 6, 9, 12...
4: 4, 8, 12...

4. What are the factors of 20?

Note:​ for students that are more advanced, you might ask them to write out
which numbers multiply by the factors to get 20. You might likewise ask
what numbers the factors divide to get 20.

20: 1, 2, ​4, 5, 10, 20

5. What is the GCF of 20 and 30?

Note: ​in previewing this lesson, you might choose to modify this question,
asking students to use a specific method of finding GCF that you have
emphasized in class. For example, students might use the Slide Method or
using Prime Factorizations.

20: 1, 2, 4​ , 5, ​10​, 20
30: ​1, 2, 3, 5, 6, ​10​, 15, 30