Question 27
Context: Consider the pairs of numbers: (a) 45, 105; (b) 275, 352; (c) 222, 370.
Q. Do you see that, in each case, the number by which the LCM is multiplied to get the product is actually the HCF?
The product of two numbers is equal to the product of their HCF and LCM.
Step 1 — Analyzing the first pair: 45 and 105
Let us find the prime factors of 45. We write 45 as a product of primes.
Let us find the prime factors of 105. We write 105 as a product of primes.
Now, we find the Highest Common Factor (HCF). We take common prime factors. We use the lowest power for each factor.
Next, we find the Lowest Common Multiple (LCM). We take all prime factors. We use the highest power for each factor.
Let us find the product of the two numbers.
Now, we find the number by which LCM is multiplied. Let us call this number . We divide the product by the LCM.
We compare with the HCF we found. We see that is equal to the HCF.

Step 2 — Analyzing the second pair: 275 and 352
Let us find the prime factors of 275.
Let us find the prime factors of 352.
Now, we find the HCF. We take common prime factors. We use the lowest power for each factor.
Next, we find the LCM. We take all prime factors. We use the highest power for each factor.
Let us find the product of the two numbers.
Now, we find the number by which LCM is multiplied. Let us call this number . We divide the product by the LCM.
We compare with the HCF we found. We see that is equal to the HCF.

Step 3 — Analyzing the third pair: 222 and 370
Let us find the prime factors of 222.
Let us find the prime factors of 370.
Now, we find the HCF. We take common prime factors. We use the lowest power for each factor.
Next, we find the LCM. We take all prime factors. We use the highest power for each factor.
Let us find the product of the two numbers.
Now, we find the number by which LCM is multiplied. Let us call this number . We divide the product by the LCM.
We compare with the HCF we found. We see that is equal to the HCF.

Answer
(i) Yes, for the pair 45, 105, the number by which the LCM is multiplied to get the product is 15, which is the HCF. (ii) Yes, for the pair 275, 352, the number by which the LCM is multiplied to get the product is 11, which is the HCF. (iii) Yes, for the pair 222, 370, the number by which the LCM is multiplied to get the product is 74, which is the HCF.
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(a) 14 and 30
(b) 7 and 11
(c) 30 and 50
(d) 28 and 42
Is the longest jump size for the numbers the same as their HCF? Explain why it is so.
Can this process be simplified? Can it be made more reliable?
Can you see what is happening below?
Can you write the prime factorisation of 105 and 30 using these two figures?
Try finding the prime factorisation of 1200 using the method above. If we had used the earlier method, our calculation would have been as follows:
Which calculation is easier to carry out?
Context: Consider the number 840 and its prime factorisation .
Q. Is a factor of 840?
Context: Consider the number 840 and its prime factorisation .
Q. If yes, what should it be multiplied by to get 840?
Context: Consider the number 840 and its prime factorization .
Q. Similarly, is a factor of 840? Why or why not?
Is a factor of 840? Why or why not?
Is a factor of 840? Why or why not?
Can we use this idea to list down all the possible factors of a number using just its prime factors?
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(a) 4 and 6
(b) 7 and 11
(c) 14 and 30
(d) 15 and 55
Is the answer always the LCM of the two numbers? Explain.
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(a) ,
(b) ,
(c) ,
(d) ,
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Efficient Procedures for HCF and LCM
See the procedure on the right. Can you explain how it has been carried out?
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[Hint: Observe that , and similar to prime factorisation]
Why are these the LCMs?
[Hint: Will the product of the factors marked as the LCM of 300 and 150 contain the prime factorisations of both 300 and 150? Is this the smallest such number?]
You can try this method for these pairs of numbers.
(a) 90 and 150
(b) 84 and 132
Property Involving both the HCF and the LCM
Which is greater — the LCM of two numbers or their product?
You could analyse the above statement using examples. Then try to reason or prove, why the LCM is never greater than the product of the numbers.
[Hint: Is the product also a common multiple of the two numbers?]
Explore whether the LCM is a factor of the product in the following cases. If yes, identify the number that the LCM should be multiplied by to get the product. Do you see any pattern? Use these numbers:
(a) 45, 105
(b) 275, 352
(c) 222, 370
Context: Consider the pairs of numbers: (a) 45, 105; (b) 275, 352; (c) 222, 370.
Q. Do you see that, in each case, the number by which the LCM is multiplied to get the product is actually the HCF?
Why does this happen? Can you give an explanation or proof?
[Hint: Consider the prime factorisation of the given numbers. Among their prime factors, some are common to both factorisations, and the rest occur in only one of them. Between the HCF and the LCM, see how the common and non-common prime factors get distributed. In the product, observe how these two kinds of prime factors occur. Compare them.]
Explore whether this property holds when 3 numbers are considered.
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