LESSON 5

Greatest common
factor and Least
common Multiple
 GOAL/OBJECTIVE
Identifying
and Solving
problems involving
Greatest Common
Factor and Least
Common Multiple
 REVIEW
Write all possible factors of the following
numbers

1. 8 : 1, 2, 4 ,8
2. 10 : 1, 2, 5, 10
3. 7 : 1, 7
4. 12 : 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12
5. 30: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 15, 30
 REVIEW
Write the first 5 multiples of the following
numbers

1. 6 : 6, 12, 18, 24, 30

2. 4: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20
3. 15: 15, 30, 45, 60, 75
4. 12: 12, 24, 36, 48, 60
5. 20 : 20, 40, 60, 80, 100
DEFINITION OF TERMS
GREATEST COMMON FACTOR
(GCF) - Highest number that divides
exactly all given numbers

LEAST COMMON MULTIPLE

(LCM)- Least natural number that is
a multiple of all given numbers
 EXAMPLES
Find the GCF of the following numbers using the Listing
method and continuous division
1. 8 and 20
Listing Method
8 : 1, 2, 4, 8
20 : 1, 2, 4, 5, 10, 20

Common Factors: 1, 2, 4

Greatest Common Factor = 4

Continuous Division Method

2 8 20
2 4 10
2 5
Greatest Common Factor = 2 x 2 = 4
2. 32, 64, and 56

Listing Method

32: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32
64: 1,2 ,4, 8, 16, 32, 64
56: 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 14, 28, 56

Common Factors: 1,2,4,8

Greatest Common Factor = 8

Continuous Division Method

2 32 64 56
2 16 32 28
2 8 16 14
4 8 7

Greatest Common Factor = 2 x 2 x 2 = 8

LEAST COMMON MULTIPLE
Find the LCM of the following numbers using Listing
Method and Continuous Division

1. 4 and 6
Listing Method
4: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 30 …
6: 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, …

Common Multiples : 12, 24, 30

Least Common Multiple = 12

Continuous Division Method

2 4 6
2 3

Least Common Multiple = 2 x 2 x 3 = 12

2. 10, 24 and 12

Listing Method

10: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110,120, …

24: 24, 48, 72, 96, 120,…

12: 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 102, 120,…

Least Common Multiple = 120

Continuous Division Method

2 10 24 12
2 5 12 6
3 5 6 3
5 2 1

Least Common Multiple = 2 x 2 x 3 x 5 x 2 x 1= 120

 PROBLEM SOLVING
1. The principal of a school wishes to distribute 84 balls
and 108 bats equally among a number of boys. Find the
greatest number of boys who will receive the gift in
this way.

Solution:
2 84 108
2 42 54
3 21 27
7 9
Answer: 2 x 2 x 3 = 12 boys
2. Four bells ring simultaneously and afterwards at
intervals of 3, 4, 5 and 6 seconds, respectively. At what
interval will they all ring together?

Solution:

2 3 4 5 6
3 3 2 5 3
1 2 5 1

Answer : 2 x 3 x 1 x 2 x 5 x 1 = 60 seconds
PROPERTIES OF GCF AND LCM
 The GCF of given numbers is not
greater than any of the given
numbers
 The GCF of two relatively primes
is 1
 The LCM of given numbers is not
less than any of the given
numbers
 The LCM of two relatively primes
is equal to their product
 PRACTICE
Find the GCF of the following numbers
using any method. Write your solution and
final answer on your notebook.
GCF LCM
1. 24 and 16 4. 4, 2 and 3

2. 100, 70 and 50 5. 10, 2 and 5

3. 84, 120, and 156 6. 2, 9 and 8

CHECKING
 PRACTICE
Find the GCF of the following numbers using any
method. Write your solution and final answer on
your notebook.
GCF LCM
1. 24 and 16 = 8 4. 4, 2 and 3 = 12

2. 100, 70 and 50 = 10 5. 10, 2 and 5 = 10

3. 84, 120, and 156 = 12 6. 2, 9 and 8 = 72