CLASS 6TH | UNIT 1: NUMBERS | HCF AND LCM | REVISION NOTES

Prime Factorisation

Prime Factorisation is the process of finding all the prime factors of a number.

There are two methods to find the prime factors of a number-

1. Prime factorisation using a factor tree

We can find the prime factors of 70 in two ways.

The prime factors of 70 are 2, 5 and 7 in both the cases.

2. Repeated Division  Method

Find the prime factorisation of 64 and 80.

The prime factorisation of 64 is 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2.

The prime factorisation of 80 is 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 5.

Highest Common Factor (HCF)

The highest common factor (HCF) of two or more given numbers is the greatest of their common factors.

Its other name is (GCD) Greatest Common Divisor.

Method to find HCF

To find the HCF of given numbers, we have to find the prime factorisation of each number and then find the HCF.

Example

Find the HCF of 60 and 72.

Solution:

First, we have to find the prime factorisation of 60 and 72.

Then encircle the common factors.

HCF of 60 and 72 is 2 × 2 × 3 = 12.

Lowest Common Multiple (LCM)

The lowest common multiple of two or more given number is the smallest of their common multiples.

Methods to find LCM

1. Prime Factorisation Method

To find the LCM we have to find the prime factorisation of all the given numbers and then multiply all the prime factors which have occurred a maximum number of times.

Example

Find the LCM of 60 and 72.

Solution:

First, we have to find the prime factorisation of 60 and 72.

Then encircle the common factors.

To find the LCM, we will count the common factors one time and multiply them with the other remaining factors.

LCM of 60 and 72 is 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 × 3 × 5 = 360

2. Repeated Division Method

If we have to find the LCM of so many numbers then we use this method.

Example

Find the LCM of 105, 216 and 314.

Solution:

Use the repeated division method on all the numbers together and divide until we get 1 in the last row.

LCM of 105,216 and 314 is 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 5 × 7 × 157 = 1186920

Real life problems related to HCF and LCM

Example: 1

There are two containers having 240 litres and 1024 litres of petrol respectively. Calculate the maximum capacity of a container which can measure the petrol of both the containers when used an exact number of times.

Solution:

As we have to find the capacity of the container which is the exact divisor of the capacities of both the containers, i. e. maximum capacity, so we need to calculate the HCF.

The common factors of 240 and 1024 are 2 × 2 × 2 × 2. Thus, the HCF of 240 and 1024 is 16. Therefore, the maximum capacity of the required container is 16 litres.

Example: 2

What could be the least number which when we divide by 20, 25 and 30 leaves a remainder of 6 in every case?

Solution:

As we have to find the least number so we will calculate the LCM first.

LCM of 20, 25 and 30 is 2 × 2 × 3 × 5 × 5 = 300.

Here 300 is the least number which when divided by 20, 25 and 30 then they will leave remainder 0 in each case. But we have to find the least number which leaves remainder 6 in all cases. Hence, the required number is 6 more than 300.

The required least number = 300 + 6 = 306.