The L.C.M of two numbers is 120 and their G.C.F is 6. one of the numbers is 30, what is the other number?
Easy way:
The product of the GCF and the LCM of two numbers is the product of the two numbers
Let the other number be N.
Then GCF×LCM = 30N or
6(120) = 30N
720 = 30N
24 = N
----------------------------------
HARDER WAY but involves thinking not a memorized formula:
30 = 2 ×3×5
? = ?
---------------
2 ×3 = 6
2×2×2×3×5 = 120
Rule for L.C.M
The L.C.M. of two positive integers must have a prime factor
the MOST number of times which ONE of them has it as a factor.
Ruke for G.C.F
The G.C.F. of two positive integers must have a prime factor
the LEAST number of times which BOTH of them have it as a factor.
L.C.M. = 120 has 2 as a factor three times, so the MOST number
of times 30 or the other number has it as a factor is three times.
30 only has 2 as a factor 1 time, so the other number must have 2
as a factor 3 times. So the other number is at least 2×2×2
G.C.F. = 6 has 2 and 3 once each as its prime factors. 30 has both these
factors once so the other number must have both of them once, so the other
number must have factor 2 and 3.
We have already determined that it must have 2 as a factor, (in fact it
must have it three times); therefore the other number has 2 as a factor
3 times and 3 as a factor once.
So the other number is 2×2×2×3 = 24.
Infact you can fill it in from this chart:
30 = 2 ×3×5
? = ?
---------------
2 ×3 = 6
2×2×2×3×5 = 120
Bring up the factor not represented by one of the numbers
30 = 2 ×3×5
24 = 2×2×2×3
---------------
2 ×3 = 6
2×2×2×3×5 = 120
Edwin