Highest Common Factor

What is Highest Common Factor?

Can you guess how many things you have common with your friends?
Let’s say you have 5 apples and 10 mangoes, and your friend Krishna
has 3 apples and 15 mangoes – what is the highest common factor
between you and Krishna? Let’s explore some of the interesting
methods to find out.

As we know,​ factors of a number​ are all the numbers that divide into
that number, leaving a remainder of zero. So, for example, the factors
of the number 12 are 1,2,3,4,6 and 12. So the Highest Common Factor
(HCF) is nothing but the largest number that divides into two or more
numbers. So when we list out all the factors of two or more numbers,
the greatest number among its common factors is the HCF. It is
alternatively also known as the Greatest Common Divisor (GCD).

Example:

Factors of the number 10 are 1,2,5 and 10

Factors of the number 15 are 1,3,5 and 15

HCF (10,15) = 5

Methods of Calculating Highest Common Factor

Listing all factors

The simplest method of deriving the HCF is to simply list all the
factors of the given number, identify all common factors, and choose
the greatest of all the common factors, arriving at your Highest
Common Factor.

Example:

16 = 1, 2, 4, 8, 16

40 = 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 20, 40

HCF(16,40) = 8

Prime factorization

Here we the numbers are written as a product of prime factors. So we

list ​prime factors​ of all the given numbers and find the common prime
factors among them. Multiplying all the common prime factors will
give you the Highest Common Factor.

Example:

20 = 2*2*5

12 = 2*2*3

HCF = 2*2 = 4

Continued Division

This method is used when we have to find the HCF of relatively larger
numbers.
 Step 1 Divide the larger number by the smaller number

The remainder from Step 1 becomes the divisor, and divisor of Step 1
Step 2
becomes the dividend.

Step 3 Continue this division process till remainder becomes zero.

Step 4 The divisor of the last division (when remainder is zero) is your HCF.

Finding Highest Common Factors of Decimals

If the numbers given are ​decimal​ numbers, the method of finding HCF
is very much similar to Prime Factorization method, with a little
modification.

Example:

Say we have to find the HCF of 1.20 and 22.5

First, we convert both numbers to like decimals i.e 1.20 and 22.50

Now we express both numbers, without decimals, as a product of their

prime numbers
120 = 2*2*2*3*5

2250 = 2*3*3*5*5*5

So, HCF (120, 2250) = 2*3*5 = 30

Therefore HCF (1.20, 22.5) = 0.30 (taking 2 decimal points)

Finding Highest Common Factor of Fractions

So when finding the HCF of a fraction there is an easy formula to

follow

HCF= HCF of numerators/ LCM of denominators

Example:

Say we are to find the HCF of (4/5) and (3/7)

Here the HCF of the numerators 4 and 3 is 1 and the LCM of

denominators 5 and 7 is 35.

Therefore the HCF of the two fractions id 1/35.

More Solved Examples for You

Q: Find the greatest number that divides 167 and 95, leaving 5 as
remainder.

Sol: Although the question sounds complicated, the solution is a

simple application of HCF.

The said number divides 167 and leaves 5 as a remainder, so the

number divides 162 (167-5) perfectly.

The said number also divides 95 and leaves a remainder of 5, so the

number divides 90 (95-5) perfectly.

Therefore the solution is the HCF of 162 and 90, which is 18.

​Lowest Common Multiple

Do you know how scientists at NASA figure out when various planets
will align with each other in our Solar system. Well, they use the basic
principal of Lowest Common Multiple(LCM). Don’t believe us? Read
ahead to find out…
What is Lowest Common Multiple?

Let’s start with what a multiple is. So when you recite your timetables,
all you’re doing is listing the multiples of that number. So the
timetable of 3, i.e. 3,6,9,12,15,18….etc, are nothing but it’s multiples.
And a Lowest Common Multiple(LCM) is nothing but the smallest
whole number that is multiple of both the given numbers.

Example:

Multiples of 3 are 3,6,9,12,15,18,21….

Multiples of 5 are 5,10,15,20,25,30….

LCM (3,5) = 15

Methods of calculating Lowest Common Multiple

Listing all the multiples

This is the simplest method of finding the LCM of any given numbers.
You write down several multiples of both the numbers and then
identify the smallest common multiple among them.
Example:

Multiples of 5 = 5,10,15,20,25,30.35,40,45,50….

Multiples of 8 = 8.16.24.32.40.48.56.64…..

LCM (5,8) = 40

Prime factorization

We start by listing all the prime factors of a number. Then you take
the common prime factors out, and then the prime factors which are
not common. Multiply all these factors and you will arrive at the Least
Common Multiple.

Example:

10 = 2*5

12 = 2*2*3

Uncommon Prime Factors = 2,3,5

LCM(10,12) = 2*2*3*5 = 60
Long Division Method

Step 1 Write all the numbers in the first row divided by commas

We divide the numbers by the lowest and most suitable prime number (should
Step 2
exactly divide at least 2 numbers)

Write the quotient of the division in the next row, If the number is not exactly
Step 3
divisible by the prime number, bring it down as it is

Continue to do the above steps, till only co-prime numbers are left in the last
Step 4
row.
 Multiply all prime numbers by which we have divided and all co-prime
Step 5
numbers left in the last row, This is your LCM

Finding Least Common Multiple of Decimals

We follow the same method of prime factorization, with a few

changes

Example:

Let’s say we have to find the LCM of 2.5 and 0.35

First, we convert both numbers to like decimals i.e. 250 and 35

Now we express those two numbers as a product of their prime factors

250 = 2*5*5*5

35= 5*7

LCM (250,35) = 2*5*5*7*5 = 1750

Therefore LCM (2.5, 0.35) = 17.50

Solved Example for You

Q: What is the smallest number that when divided by 20 and 48

separately gives the remainder of 7 every time?

Sol: The solution here is an application of LCM principal. Here firstly

we find the LCM of 20 and 48

20 = 2*2*5

48 = 2*2*2*2*3

LCM (20,48) = 2*2*2*2*3*5 = 240

So the required number, that leaves a remainder of 7, is 247 (240+7)

Applications of LCM and HCF

As you have probably been told before, Maths is a subject you

understand, not a subject you memorize. So learning the application of
a concept helps you fully understand the topic, and also makes it
interesting. There are various interesting applications of LCM and
HCF. Let us learn more about them.

Co-relation between HCF and LCM

So there is an interesting co-relation between H.C.F and L.C.M. of

two numbers. The product of the H.C.F. and L.C.M. of any two
numbers is always equal to the product of those two numbers.
However the same is not applicable to three or more numbers.

LCM (a,b) * HCF (a,b) = a*b

Example:

Let the two numbers be 4 and 6.

HCF (4,6) = 2

LCM (4,6) = 12

HCF*LCM = 2*12 = 24

Product of the two numbers = 4*6 = 24

Applications of LCM and HCF

Now there are various real-life applications of LCM and HCF. The
best way to understand these and grasp the concept of LCM and HCF
is to learn via examples. So let us take a look at a few examples which
will help you understand LCM and HCF.

Example 1: Find the greatest number that will divide 400, 435 and 541
leaving 9, 10 and 14 as remainders respectively.

Solution: The required number would be HCF of (400-9), (435-10)

and (541-14)

So the HCF (391,425,527)

391 = 17 × 23

425 = 5 × 5 × 17

527 = 17 × 31

HCF = 17
Therefore the required number is 17.

Example 2: A, B and C start to jog around a circular stadium. They

complete their rounds in 36 seconds, 48 seconds and 42 seconds
respectively. After how many seconds will they be together at the
starting point?

Solution: The required time is the LCM of all their lap times. This is
the earliest when all three will intersect at the same point.

Required time is the LCM (36,48,42)

LCM = 2 × 2 × 3 × 3 × 4 × 7

LCM = 1008

Therefore the required time is 1008 seconds

Example 3: Mr Das has three classes. Each class has 24, 30 and 18
students respectively. Mr Das wants to divide each class into groups
so that every group in every class has the same number of students and
there are no students left over. What is the maximum number of
students he can put into each group?

Solution: We have to find the ​maximum​ number of students that can

be put into each group. This should give you an indication that here
we have to calculate the HCF or GCF.

HFC (24,30,18) = 2 × 3 = 6

Therefore a maximum of 6 students can be put into each group.

Example 4: If the least prime factor of ‘a’ is 3 and the least prime
factor of ‘b’ is 7, then find the least prime factor of (a+b)

Solution: Since 3+7 = 10 then the least prime factor of (a+b) has to be
2

Unless a+b is a prime number itself which is greater than 2.

Suppose this is true Then a+b must be an odd number. So one of ‘a’ or
‘b’ must be an even number. Suppose ‘a’ is an even number, then its
least prime factor has to be 2, it cannot be 3 or 7. So ‘a’ cannot be an
even number. The same logic applies to ‘b’. Hence a+b cannot be a
prime number if the least prime factor of ‘a’ and ‘b’ is 3 and 7.

Hence the least prime factor of a+b is 2.