Factors and Multiples

Factors of a Number
A number may be made
Factors
by multiplying two or of 24
more other numbers1 X 24
together. The numbers
2 X 12 combinations to
Multiplication

that are multiplied3 X 8 reach 24

together are called4 X 6
factors of the final
number. {1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24}
A list of its factors
 Greatest Common Factor
(GCF)
Greatest common
factor is the
greatest whole
number that is a
factor of two or next page
more given whole
numbers.
 What is the greatest common
factor of 36 and 48?
Factors of 36:
{1,
1 22, 3,
3 4,
4 6,
6 99, 12
12, 18
18, 36}
36

Factors of 48:
{1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8,12, 16, 24, 48}
 What is the greatest common
factor of 36 and 48?
Factors of 36:
{1,
1 22, 3
3, 4,
4 66, 9, 12,
12 18, 36}
Factors of 48:
{1,
1 22, 3
3, 4,
4 66, 8,12,
12 16, 24, 48}
Which
Whichfactors
is the greatest
are common
common
to both
numbers?
factor?
 Greatest Common Factor
(GCF)
That was too much work. What
happened if we forgot to
include the 12 in one of the
factor list?
Want to learn a different way that’s easier?
Birthday Cake Method to find
GCF
Think of any number that divides
Divideinto
evenly both numbers
both 36 andby
482.
(a factor of both)
For this example, I’ll use 2.
18 24
2 36 48
Birthday Cake Method to find
GCF
Think of any number that divides
evenly
Divideinto both
both 18 andby
numbers 243.
(a factor of both)
For this6 example, I’ll
8 use 3.
3 18 24
2 36 48
 Birthday Cake Method to find
GCF
Continue
3 and 4 havethisnoprocess
commonuntilfactor
thereexcept
is no
other 1...
number
so you besides
can stop
1 that
dividing.
is a factor
of 3both numbers.4
2 6 8
3 18 24
2 36 48
 Birthday Cake Method to find
GCF
The product of the numbers along the side
of the cake is the GCF
2 xof336xand2= 48.
12
3 4
2 6 8
3 18 24
2 36 48
 Birthday Cake Method to find
GCF
Observe another example. Find the
GCF of 64 and 80.
8 x 2 = 16
no common
4 factor except 1 5
8 32 40
2 64 80
 Multiples of a Number
The products of a number with the
natural numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ...
are called the multiples of the
number. 7x1=7
For example:
7 x 2 = 14
So, the multiples of 7 are 7 x 3 = 21
7, 14, 21, 28, and so on. 7 x 4 = 28
 Multiples of a Number
Further examples:
multiples of 2 are 2, 4, 6, 8, …
multiples of 3 are 3, 6, 9, 12, …
multiples of 4 are 4, 8, 12, 16, …
 Common Multiples
Multiples that are common to two or more
numbers are said to be common multiples. For
example:
Multiples of 2 are 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, …
Multiples of 3 are 3, 6, 9, 12, 615, 18, … 12
18 multiples of 2 and 3 are 6, 12, 18,
So, common
… 6 12 18
Example 2:
Find the common multiples of 4 and 6.
Solution:
Multiples of 4 are 4, 8, 12
12, 16, 20, 24
24,
28, 32, 36
36, …
Multiples of 6 are 6, 12
12, 18, 24
24, 30, 36
36,
…
So, the common multiples of 4 and 6
are 12, 24, 36, …
 Least Common Multiple
(LCM)
The smallest common multiple
of two or more numbers is
called the least common
multiple (LCM).
Least Common Multiple (LCM)
To find the least common multiple
(LCM) of two or more numbers, list the
multiples of the larger number and stop
when you find a multiple of the other
number.  This is the LCM.
Least Common Multiple (LCM)
Find the least common multiple of 6
and 9.
Solution:
List the multiples of 9 and stop when
you find a multiple of 6.
LCM is
Multiples of 9 are 9, 18, … 18
Multiples of 6 are 6, 12, 18, …
                      
 Birthday Cake Method to find
LCM
With the birthday cake method, you
can find both the GCF and LCM at the
same time!
Let’s use a previous example…
 Birthday Cake Method to find
LCM

Find the least common multiple of

36 and 48.
 Birthday Cake Method to find
LCM
Find the product of the
numbers
Let’s makegoing up and oncake!
the birthday
top of the cake.
x 3 x 4 = 144
2 6 8 144 is the
x LCM
3 18 24 of 36 and
x
2 36 48 48
 Birthday Cake Method to find
LCM
Another example: Find the LCM of 16
and 9.
Do 16 and 9 have any common factors
besides 1? No, they don’t. So their
LCM is their product…
? 16 X 9 = 144
 Birthday Cake Method to find
LCM
Another example: Find the LCM of 5,
6 and 8.
Multiples of 8 are 8, 16, 24, 32, 40, 48,
Finding the answer by listing
56, 64, 72, 80, 88, 96, 104, 112, 120,
multiples of the largest number (8)
…
would eventually lead you to the
Stop at 120 as it is a multiple of both 5
answer of 120.
and 6.
 Birthday Cake Method to find
LCM
The birthday cake method can be used
to find the LCM of 5, 6 and 8. Watch!

x5 x 3 x 4 = 120
2 5 6 8