Topic: GREATEST COMMON DENOMINATOR AND LEAST COMMON

MULTIPLE

Objectives: At the end of this lesson, they should know on how to find the greatest
common denominator and least common multiple using different method especially when
answering word problems.

Concept:

The greatest common factor (GCF) of a group of natural numbers is the largest number
that is a factor of all of the numbers in the group.

Finding the Greatest Common Factor

1. Prime Factors Method –

Step 1. Write the prime factorization of each number.

Step 2. Choose all primes common to all factorizations, with each prime raised to the
leastexponent that appears.

Step 3. Form the product of all the numbers in Step 2; this product is the greatest
common factor.

Example:

Find the greatest common factor of 360 and 1350.

Solution:

The prime factorization is below.

360  23  32  5
1350  2  33  52

The GCF is 2· 32 · 5 = 90.

2. Dividing by Prime Factors Method

Step 1Write the numbers in a row.

Step 2Divide each of the numbers by a common prime factor. Try 2, then 3, and so on.

Step 3Divide the quotients by a common prime factor. Continue until no prime will
divide into all the quotients.

Step 4 The product of the primes in steps 2 and 3 is the greatest common factor.

Example:

Find the greatest common factor of 12, 18, and 30.

Solution:

2 12 18 30Divide by 2

3 6 9 15Divide by 3

2 3 5No common factors

Since there are no common factors in the last row the GCF is 2 · 3 = 6.

LEAST COMMON MULTIPLE (LCM)

The least common multiple (LCM) of a group of natural numbers is the smallest natural
number that is a multiple of all of the numbers in the group.

Finding the Least Common Multiple

1. Prime Factors Method

Step 1. Write the prime factors of each number.
Step 2. Choose all primes belonging to any factorization; with each prime raised
to the largest exponent that appears.
Step 3. Form the product of all the numbers in Step 2; this product is the least
common multiple.

Example:
Find the least common multiple of 360 and 1350.

The prime factorization is below.

360  23  32  5
1350  2  33  52
The LCM is 23 · 33 · 52 = 5400.

2. Dividing by Prime Factors Method

Step 1 Write the numbers in a row.
Step 2 Divide each of the numbers by a common prime factor. Try 2, then 3, and
so on.
Step 3 Divide the quotients by a common prime factor. When no prime will
divide all quotients, but a prime will divide some of them, divide where possible
and bring any nondivisible quotients down. Continue until no prime will divide
any two quotients.
Step 4 The product of the prime divisors in steps 2 and 3 as well as all remaining
quotients is the least common multiple.

Example:

Find the least common multiple of 12, 18, and 30.

2 12 18 30 Divide by 2

3 6 9 15 Divide by 3

2 3 5 No common factors

The LCM is 2 · 3 · 2 · 3 · 5 = 180

3. Formula
The least common multiple of m and n is given by:

mn
LCM  .
greatest common factor of m and n
Example:

Find the LCM of 360 and 1350.

Solution:

The GCF is 90.

360 1350 486000

LCM    5400
90 90
Activity

Directions:

I. Solve for what is asked in the following problems using the application of
GCD and LCM.
1. Mrs. Evans has 120 crayons and 30 pieces of paper to give to her students. What
is the largest number of students she can have in her class so that each student
gets equal number of crayons and equal number of paper?
2. Z100 gave away a $100 bill for every 100th caller. Every 30th caller received free
concert tickets. How many callers must get through before one of them receives
both a coupon and a concert ticket?
II. Find the GCD and LCM of the pair of numbers using any of the method.
3. 1,240, 5300
4. 180, 450
5. 72, 144
The reporter as she explains the assigned topic, GCD and LCM.

Submitted by:

MELODY I. PAGSUYUIN