Hello, im in 6th grade and im trying to find out the least common multiple of a number and the greatest common factor of a number. I don't know what they are. thanks
The least common multiple is the smallest number that can be evenly divided by two or more numbers.
LCM: 3, 4 = 12
LCM: 2, 5 = 10
http://www.mathsisfun.com/least-common-multiple.html
The greatest common factor is the largest number that goes into two or more numbers.
GCF: 6, 12 = 6
GCF: 3, 5, 15 = 3
http://www.mathsisfun.com/greatest-common-factor.html
Hello! I'm here to help you understand what the least common multiple (LCM) and greatest common factor (GCF) are, and how to find them.
The least common multiple (LCM) is the smallest multiple that two or more numbers have in common. It is often used when dealing with fractions or when finding a common denominator.
To find the LCM of two or more numbers, you can follow these steps:
1. Start by writing down the prime factorization of each number.
2. Identify the highest power of each prime number that appears in the factorization of any of the numbers.
3. Multiply all these highest powers together to get the LCM.
For example, let's find the LCM of 12 and 18.
1. The prime factorization of 12 is 2^2 * 3^1.
2. The prime factorization of 18 is 2^1 * 3^2.
3. The highest power of 2 is 2^2, and the highest power of 3 is 3^2. Multiply them together to get the LCM: LCM(12,18) = 2^2 * 3^2 = 36.
Now, let's move on to the greatest common factor (GCF). The GCF is the largest factor that two or more numbers have in common. It can also be called the greatest common divisor (GCD).
To find the GCF of two or more numbers, you can follow these steps:
1. Write down the factors of each number.
2. Identify the common factors that appear in the factorization of all numbers.
3. Multiply all these common factors together to get the GCF.
For example, let's find the GCF of 24 and 36.
1. The factors of 24 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24.
2. The factors of 36 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 36.
3. The common factors are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12. Multiply them together to get the GCF: GCF(24,36) = 2 * 2 * 3 = 12.
I hope this explanation helps you understand the concepts of LCM and GCF better. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!