Government of Tamilnadu

Department of Employment and Training

Course : TNPSC Group I Mains Material

Subject : General Aptitude & Mental Ability

Topic : HCF and LCM

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 HCF and LCM
COMMON FACTORS
Consider the numbers 45 and 60. Use of divisibility tests will also help us to find the factors of
45 and 60. The factors of 45 are 1,3,5,9,15 and 45 and the factors of 60 are 1,2,3,4,5,6,10,12,15,20,
30 and 60. Here, the common factors of 45 and 60 are 1,3,5 and 15.
As factors of a number are finite, we can think of the Highest Common Factor of numbers,
shortly denoted as HCF.

HIGHEST COMMON FACTOR (HCF)

Think about the situation:
Situation: Consider the rods of length 8 feet and 12 feet. We have to cut these rods into pieces
of equal length. How many pieces can we get? What will be the length of the longest piece
that is common for both the rods? The rod of 8 feet can be divided into small rods of length
1 foot or 2 feet or 4 feet (These are factors of 8). The rod of 12 feet can be divided into small
rods of length 1 foot or 2 feet or 3 feet or 4 feet or 6 feet (These are factors of 12).
The length of the pieces that are common to both the rods (as given above) are of length 1
foot, 2 feet and 4 feet (i.e., common factors of 8 and 12). Hence, the HCF of 8 and 12 is the
length of the longest rod i.e., 4 feet that can be cut equally from the rods of length 8 feet and
12 feet. So, the Highest Common Factor (HCF) of two numbers is the largest factor that is
common to both of them.The Highest Common Factor of the numbers x and y can be written
as HCF (x,y).
The Highest Common Factor (HCF) is also called as the Greatest Common Divisor (GCD) or
the Greatest Common Factor (GCF).
▪▪ HCF (1, x) =1
▪▪ HCF (x, y) = x, if y is a multiple of x. For example, HCF (3, 6) = 3.
▪▪ If the HCF of two numbers is 1, then the numbers are said to be co-primes or rela-
tively prime. Here, the two numbers can both be primes as (5, 7) or both can be
composites as (14, 27) or one can be a prime and other a composite as (11, 12).

Common Multiples
▪▪ Let us now write the multiples of 5 and 7
▪▪ Multiples of 5 are 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70,…

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General Aptitude & Mental Ability

▪▪ Multiples of 7 are 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, 63, 70,…
▪▪ Here, the common multiples of 5 and 7 are 35 and 70 and will go on without ending.
▪▪ As multiples of a number are infinite, we can think of the Least Common Multiple
of numbers, shortly denoted as LCM.

Least Common Multiple (LCM)

Think about the situation:
Write the multiplication table of 4 and 5 (upto 10).
Observing the multiplication tables, can you find the
multiples (product of numbers) that are the same in the
4th table and 5th table?. If yes, what are they? Yes, they
are 20, 40,…etc. From the multiples of 4 and 5, we can
easily find that 20 is the least common multiple of 4 and
5.

Situation
Consider the red and the blue coloured floor mats of
length 4 units and 5 units as follows.
5 units 4 units

Five red coloured floor mats of 4 units each can be arranged as follows. Its total length is 5 x
4 = 20 units.
4 units 4 units 4 units 4 units 4 units

Four blue coloured floor mats of 5 units each can be arranged as follows. Its total length is
also the same 4 x 5 = 20 units.
5 units 5 units 5 units 5 units

Note that the 5 floor mats each of length 4 units are required to equal 4 floor mats each of
length 5 units and that is, the length 20 units is the smallest common length that can be
matched by both sizes. From the above, it shows that the least common multiple of 4 and 5
is 4x5=20.
The Least Common Multiple of any two non-zero whole numbers is the smallest or the
lowest common multiple of both the numbers. The Least Common Multiple of the numbers
x and y can be written as LCM (x,y). We can find the least common multiple of two or more
numbers by the following methods.
1. Division Method
2. Prime Factorisation Method

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 General Aptitude & Mental Ability

1. Find HCF of numbers 40 and 56

Solution:
2 40, 56
2 20, 28
2 10, 14
5, 7
HCF = 2 × 2 × 2 = 8.

2. HCF of 18, 24 and 30 by factor tree method

Solution:
24 18 30
2 12
2 9 2 15
2 6
3 3 3 5
2 3

HCF of 24, 18 and 30 is 2 × 3 = 6.

3. LCM of 156 and 124

Solution:
2 156, 124
2 78, 62
3 39, 31
13 13, 31
31 1, 31
1, 1
LCM = 2 × 2 × 3 × 13 × 31 = 4836.

4. What is the greatest number that will divide 62, 78 and 109 leaving remainder 2, 3 and
4 respectively?
Solution:
5 60, 75, 105
(62 − 2), (78 − 3) (109 − 4) = 60, 75, 105
3 12, 15, 21
HCF = 15.
4, 5, 7
15 is the greatest number will divide 62, 78 and 1 0 9
leaving remainder 2, 3 and 4 respectively.

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General Aptitude & Mental Ability

5. A book seller has 175 English books, 245 Science books and 385 Maths books. He
wants to sell the books in a box, subject wise in equal numbers, what will be the
greatest number of boxes required? Also find the number of books for each subject
in a box?
Solution:
5 175, 245, 385
7 35, 49, 77
5, 7, 11
HCF = 5 × 7 = 35. Greatest number of boxes = 35. The number of books for each subject
in a box is 170 English, 238 Science and 374 Maths books.

6. Find the smallest number that can be divided by 254 and 508 which leaves
remainder 4
Solution:
2 254, 508 Smallest number - LCM
Greatest number - HCF
2 127, 254
Remainder same in each case:
127 127, 127
Add remainder to the LCM
1, 1 (Smallest number)
LCM = 4 × 127 = 508.
Required number = 508 + 4 = 512.

7. What is the smallest 5-digit number is exactly divisible by 72 and 108?

Solution:
Let smallest 5 digit number = 10,000
LCM of 72 and 108
2 72, 108 46
2 36, 54 216 10000
3 18, 27 9936
3 6, 9 164
2, 3
LCM = 216.
10000 ÷ 216 = gives remainder 164, Quotient 46
Next multiple 216 × 47 = 10,152 is the required number.
The smallest 5 digit number is exactly divisible by 72 & 108 is 10, 152.

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 General Aptitude & Mental Ability

8. There are 4 mobile phones in a room. All the 4 mobile phones will ring together
thereafter 1st one rings every 15 minutes, the second one rings every 20 minutes, 3rd
one ring 25 minutes, 4th one rings every 30 minutes. At what time, will the 4 mobile
phones ring together again?
Solution:
5 15, 20, 25, 30
2 3, 4, 5, 6
3 3, 2, 5, 3
1, 2, 5, 1
LCM = 5 × 2 × 3 × 2 × 5 = 300 minutes.
= 5 hours
4 Mobile phones will ring together again at 10.00 am.

9. LCM of two numbers is 432 and their HCF is 36. If one of the numbers is 108, then find
other numbers.
Solution:
LCM × HCF = Product of 2 number
432 × 36 = 108 × x
432 × 36
x =
108
x = 144.

10. Find the ratio of HCF and LCM of the numbers 18 and 30
Solution:
2 18, 30
3 9, 15
3, 5
HCF = 2 × 3 = 66, LCM = 2 × 3 × 3 × 5 = 90
HCF : LCM = 6 : 90 = 1 : 15.

11. HCF of two successive even numbers is 2

Solution:
HCF = 2, 4
2 2, 4 2 4, 6
1, 2 2, 3
HCF = 2.

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General Aptitude & Mental Ability

12. LCM of two co-prime numbers is 5005. If one of the numbers is 65, find the other
number
Solution:
LCM × HCF = Product of 2 number
5005 × 1 = 65 × x
5005
x =
65
x = 77.

13. LCM of 26, 39, 52 is

Solution:
2 26, 39, 52
13 13, 39, 26
1, 3, 2
LCM = 2 × 13 × 6 = 156.

14. Least number that should be added to 57, so that the sum is exactly divisible by 2, 3,
4 and 5 is
Solution:
LCM of 2, 3, 4, 5
2 2, 3, 4, 5
1, 3, 2, 5
LCM = 2 × 3 × 10 = 60
The required number = 60 ⇒ 57 + 3 (3 should be added).

15. Find HCF and LCM of the numbers 154, 198, 286
Solution:
2 154, 198, 286
11 77, 99, 143
7, 9, 13
LCM = 2 × 11 × 7 × 9 × 13 = 18018.
HCF = 2 × 11 = 22.

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 General Aptitude & Mental Ability

16. LCM of 3 and 9 is 9, then their HCF is

Solution:
3 3, 9
1, 3
HCF = 3.

17. What is the greatest possible volume of a vessel that can beused to measure exactly,
the volume of milk in cans (in full capacity) of 80 liter, 100 liter and 120 liter?
Solution:
2 80, 100, 120
2 40, 50, 60
5 20, 25, 30
4, 5, 6
HCF = 2 × 2 × 5 = 20 Liters.

18. 19. The traffic lights at 3 different road junctions change after every 40 seconds, 60
seconds, 72 seconds respectively. If they changed simultaneously together at 8 a.m. at
junction, at what time will they simultaneously change together again?
Solution:
2 40, 60, 72
2 20, 30, 36
2 10, 15, 18
3 5, 15, 9
5 5, 5, 3
1, 1, 3
LCM = 2 × 2 × 2 × 15 × 3 = 360 seconds. (6 minutes)
Change together again at 8.06 am.

19. LCM of two numbers is 210, HCF is 14. How many such pairs are possible?
Solution:
HCF = 14; LCM = 210
14a × 14b = 14 × 210
210 × 14
ab =
14 × 14
ab = 15. Products of 15 are (1, 15) and (3, 5)

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General Aptitude & Mental Ability

20. LCM of 2 numbers is 6 times there HCF If the HCF is 12 and one of the numbers is 36,
find other number
Solution:
LCM (a, b) = 6 HCF (a, b)
LCM = 6 × 12, LCM (a,b) = 72

72 × 12 = 36 × x

LCM × HCF = Product of 2 number

72 × 12
x=
36
x = 24.

21. (71, 81) is co-prime (or) not?

Solution:
HCF - (71, 81) is 1
If HCF is 1, then 2 number are co-prime.

22. HCF of 2 numbers is 2 and their LCM is 154. If the difference between the numbers
is 8, then sum `
Solution:
2a × 2b = 2 × 154 2a − 2b = 8
2 × 154 2(a − b) = 8
ab =
2×2 a − b = 4
ab = 77 a = 4 + b

(4 + b) b = 77
b2 + 4b − 77 = 0
b = 11, −7

The number be 2a, 2b, If b = 11; a = 15, If b = 7; a = 11

1. 2a + 2b = 22 + 30 = 52.
2. 2a + 2b = 14 + 22 = 36.

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 General Aptitude & Mental Ability

23. Greatest four digit number exactly divisible by 8, 9 , 12 is

Solution:
LCM 8, 9, 12 138
3 8, 9, 12 72 9999
2 8, 3, 4 72
2 4, 3, 2 279
2, 3, 1
216
LCM = 3 × 3 × 8 = 72. 639
Greatest 4 digit number = 9999 ÷ 72 576
Remainder 63. 63
Required number is 9999 − 63 = 9936.

24. Find the length of the longest rope that can be used to measure exactly the rope of
length of 1 m 20 cm; 3 m 60cm and 4m?
Solution:
(∴ 1 m = 100 cm)
2 120, 360, 400
1 m 20 cm = 120 cm
2 60, 180, 200
3 m 60 cm = 360 cm
2 30, 90, 100
4 m = 400 cm
5 15, 45, 50
3, 9, 10
LCM = 2 × 2 × 2 × 5 = 40 cm.

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