Fractors and Multiples

Introduction
We have studied about the operations on numbers. In this chapter we will study about two important terms
Factors and Multiples which are related to the operations on multiplication and division. Let's discuss about
them.

Factors
Factors of a number, divide the number completely.
If a, b, c, d __ are factors of "m" then 'm will be completely divisible by a, b, c, d__.

How to Get Factors of a Number

Factors of a number can be found by hit and trial method. Get any number, if it divides completely the
number whose factor is to be found, it is a factor of that number.
Let us discuss some rules of divisibility in order to easily find the factors of a number.
Rules of divisibility
(a) The numbers which have 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8 at the unit place is divisible by 2. For example: 24434, 21450,
231545452218 are divisible by 2.
(c) If sum of digits of a number is divisible by 3 then the number is divisible by 3.
(d) For example: Sum of the digits of 276 = 2 + 7 + 6 = 15. 15 is divisible by 3, therefore, 276 is divisible by 3.
(d) If the number formed by two digits from right side of a number is divisible by 4 the number is divisible by
4. For example: 28 in 5428 is divisible by 4, therefore, 5428 is divisible by 4
(e) If a number has the digit 0 or 5 at unit place, the number is divisible by 5. For example: 0 is at the unit
place in the number 5450, therefore, .5450 is divisible by 5.
(F) If an even number is divisible by 3 then the number is divisible by 6. For example:
558 is an even number and divisible by 3, therefore, 558 is divisible by 6
(g) If the number formed by three digits from right side of a number is divisible by 8 then the number is
divisible by 8. For example: 248 in 56248 is divisible by 8, thus 56248 is divisible by 8.
(h) If sum of digits of a number is divisible by 9, the number is divisible by 9. For example: Sum of digits of
5689485 = 5 + 6 + 8 + 9 + 4 + 8 + 5 = 45 and 45 is the divisible by 9. Thus 9689485 is divisible by 9.
(I) If a number has the digit 0 at the unit place, the number is divisible by 10. For example: 0 is at the unit
place in the number 4560, 4560 is divisible by 10.
(J) If difference of the sum of the alternate digits of a number is either 0 or divisible by 11, the number is
divisible by 11. For example: Difference of the sum of the alternative digits of 5478693 = (5+7+6+3)-(4+8+9)
=0
Thus 5478693 is divisible by 11.
(k) If a number has two prime factors then product of the prime factors is also a factor of the number. For
example: 3 and 5 are the prime-factors 2445 thus 15 is also a factor of 2445.

Find the factors of 10.

Answer:
By hit and trial method we get the numbers 1, 2, 5, and 10 which divide 10 completely.

How many factors are there of 56?

Answer:
Factors of 56 = 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 14, 28, 56. So there are 8 factors of 56.
Is 8 a factor of 45684?
Answer:
The number formed by the three digits from right side is 684 and 684 is not divisible by 8. Therefore, 8 is not
a factor of 45684.

What least number should be subtracted from 16639 so that 24 becomes factor of it?
Solution:
Divide 16639 by 24, the remainder you will get, should be subtracted from 16639 so that 24 becomes factor
of it.
693
24)16639(
144
0223
216
0079
72
07

Prime Numbers
The numbers which have only two factors, 1 and the number itself are called prime numbers.

Factors of 2 = 1, 2
Factors of 3 = 1, 3
Factors of 5 = 1, 5
Factors of 19 = 1, 19
We see all the above numbers 2, 3, 5, and 19 has only two factors 1 and the number itself. Therefore, all the
above numbers are prime numbers.

Twin Primes
Two consecutive prime numbers with the difference 2 are called twin primes.

Some pairs of twin primes are the following:

Pairs of twin primes: (3, 5), (5, 7), (11, 13), (17, 19), (29, 31)

Prime Triplets
Prime triplet is a set of three prime numbers which consists of a pair of twin primes and one other prime
number which differs from one of the numbers of twin primes by 4 and 6 from other.
There are two forms of prime triplet (p, p + 2, p + 6) and (p, p + 4, p + 6) where p is a prime number. In the
(p, p + 2, p + 6) form of prime triplet p and p + 2 is a pair of twin primes. In the (p, p + 4, p + 6) form of prime
triplet p + 4 and p + 6 is a pair of twin primes. (2, 3, 5) and (3, 5, 7) are two exceptions of prime triplet.
Some sets of prime triplet are the following:
(5, 7, 11), (7, 11, 13), (11, 13, 17), (13, 17, 19), (17, 19, 23), (37, 41, 43), (41, 43, 47)

Composite Numbers
A number which has more than two factors is called a composite number.

Factors of 4 = 1, 2, 4
Factors of 6 = 1, 2, 3, 6
Factors of 9 = 1, 3, 9
All the above numbers 4, 6, and 9 have more than two factors. Therefore, these are composite numbers.

Perfect Numbers
If sum of all the factors of a number is twice of the number, the number is called a perfect number.

Factors of 6 = 1, 2, 3, 6
Sum of factors =1+2+3+6= 12
Sum of factors = 2 x the number. Therefore, 6 is a perfect number.

Common Factors
The same factors of two or more than two different numbers are called common factors.

Factors of 24 = 1, 2, 3,4, 6, 8, 12, 24

Factors of 30 = 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 15, 30.
Here 1, 2, 3, and 6 are the common factors of 24 and 30.

Co-prime or Relatively Prime Numbers

If two numbers have only one common factor, the numbers are called co-prime or relatively prime numbers.

Factors of 2 = 1, 2
Factors of 5 = 1, 5
Thus 2 and 5 have only one common factor 1, therefore, 2 and 5 are co- prime numbers.
Factors of 15= 1, 3, 5, 15
Factors of 8 = 1, 2, 4, 8
15 and 8 have only one common factor which is 1. Therefore, 15 and 8 are the co- prime numbers.
Highest Common Factor (H.C.F) or Greatest Common Factor (G.C.F)
The common factor which is highest among the common factors of two or more than two numbers is called
highest common factor of that numbers.
Find the highest common factors of 12 and 32
Explanation
Factors of 12 = 1, 2 , 3, 4, 6, 12
Factors of 32 = 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32
Common factors of 12 and 32 = 1, 2, 4,
The highest common factor of 12 and 32 = 4

HCF by Division Method

In case of greater numbers it is difficult to find HCF by writing factors. With the help of division method we
can get the HCF easily even of greater numbers. Long division method involves the following steps:
Step 1: The greater number is divided by the smaller number.
Step 2: The remainder left after subtraction is taken as divisor and divisor as dividend for the next step of
division.
Step 3: The process is repeated unless remainder becomes 0.
Step 4: The last divisor is the HCF.

Find the HCF of 132 and 64.

Multiples
When two or more than two numbers are multiplied with each other, the resulting number is the multiple of
all that numbers. For example, if A x B = C, C is multiple of both A and B.

Multiples of 5 = 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, ____

Multiples of 2 = 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12,____
Multiples of 10 = 10, 20, 30, 40, ____
Common Multiples
The same multiples of two or more than two different numbers are called common multiples.

Multiples of 4 = 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40,__

Multiples of 5 = 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45,___
Common multiples of 4 and 5 = 20, 40, 60, etc.
Least Common Multiple (L.C.M.)
The least common multiple among the common multiples of two or more than two numbers is called least
common multiple.
Multiples of 5 = 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, ___
Multiples of 7 = 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, 63, 70, ___
Common multiples of 5 and 7 = 35, 70,___
Least common multiple of 5 and 7 = 35.

LCM by Prime Factorization Method

In the prime factorization method numbers are written in the form of product of prime factors. The common
and non-common factors are separated out and multiplied with each other. Their product are the LCM of
the given numbers.

Prime factorization of 28  2  2  7
Prime factorization of 36  2  2  3  3
Common prime factors  2  2
Non-common factors  7  3  3
Product of the common factors  2  2  3 3 7  252
Thus LCM of 28 and 36 = 252.

LCM by Division Method

Division method of LCM involves the following steps:
Step 1: Write the numbers whose LCM is to be found in a row.
Step 2: Choose the least prime number by which at least two numbers are divisible. Then divide the
numbers by the prime number.
Step 3: Write the quotient and undivided number in the next row just below the respected number.
Step 4: Repeat the process of division by the prime numbers unless only 1 or co-prime numbers remain in
the last row.
Step 5: Now multiply the divisor and co-prime numbers of the last row. Product is the LCM.

Find the LCM of 12, 20, 32 and 28.

2 12, 20, 32, 28
2 6, 10, 16, 14
3 , 5, 8, 7
2  2  3  5  8  7  3360.

Relation between Two Numbers and Their LCM and HCF

(a) LCM  H .C.F  Product of the two numbers
Product of the numbers
(b) LCM=
H.C.F
Product of the numbers
(b) HCF=
L.C.M
L.C.M×H.C.F
(d) Required number =
Given number
 Find the LCM and HCF of 40 and 45 and verify that product of 40 and 45 is equal to the product of their
LCM and HCF.
LCM of 40 and 45 =360
HCF of 40 and 45 =5
Product of the numbers  40  45  1800
Product of their HCF and LCM  360  5  1800.

If HCF and LCM of the two numbers are 10 and 300 respectively and one of the numbers is 50 find the
other number.
Solution:
L.C.M×H.C.F
Required number =
Given number
10×300
= = 60.
50

 Every number is a factor and a multiple of itself.

 Product of two numbers is a multiple of each of the number.
 Every number is a multiple of 1.
 Greatest multiple of a number can net be found.

 Factors of a number divide the number completely.

 Prime numbers have only two factors.
 Composite numbers have more than two factors.
 If two prime numbers differ by 2, these are twin primes.
 Prime triplet contains a pair of twin prime.
 Sum of the factors of a perfect number is twice of the number.
 Multiple of a number is the product of the number and a natural number.
 Product of the two numbers = Product of their LCM and HCF.
Which one of following sets contains all the factors of 72?
(a) {1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 6, 12, 36, 72}
(b) {1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 18, 24, 48, 72}
(c) {1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 72}
(d) {2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 72}
(d) None of these

Answer: (c)
Explanation
Factors of 72 = 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, and 72

When a number is divided by its factor the remainder will be__.

(a) 1 (b) 10
(c) 0 (d) 9

Answer: (c)
Explanation
A number is completely divisible by its factors leaving no remainder.

Which one of the following digits should be placed in the middle of the digits of the number 258970 so
that 3 becomes factor of it?
(a) 0 (b) 1
(c) 2 (d) 3
(e) None of these

Answer: (c)

Explanation
Sum of digits of the number 258970  2  5  8  9  7  0  31. therefore, 2 should be placed in the middle of
the digits such that sum of the digits becomes divisible by 3.

You have to add a least number in 1025629 in order to 12 be a factor of it.

Choose the number from the following options and add.
(a) 10
(b) 11
(c) 12
(d) 8
(e) None of these

Answer: (b)
Which one of the following statements is not true about the factor?
(a) The greatest factor of a number is the number itself
(b) The smallest even number is a factor of all the even numbers
(c) If X and Y are the factors of each other then X = Y
(d) X and Y are two natural numbers. A is a factor of X and B is a factor of Y If X > Y Then A > B
(e) None of these

Answer: (d

17, 19 is a pair of twin prime. To make it a prime triplet which one of the following prime numbers would
you like to choose?
(a)11 (b) 13
(c) 17 (d) 19
(e) None of these

Answer: (b)
Explanation
17-13 = 4
19 -13 = 6. Thus 13 differs from one of the numbers of twin prime by 4 and 6 from other;

If X is a composite number then what cannot be correct about X?

(a) Y is a prime number and a factor of X
(b) X is divisible by 2
(c) Sum of the smallest and the greatest factors of X is 1 more than X
(d) If X lies between 10 and 20, it has no prime factor
(e) None of these

Answer: (d)
Explanation
12, 14, 15, 16, 18, are the composite numbers which lie between 10 and 20.
12, 14, 16, 18 are divisible by 2 which is a prime number. Thus X has the prime factors even if it lies between
1 and 20.

Which one of the following is a perfect number?

(a) 8 (b) 10
(c) 14 (d) 28 (e) None of these

Answer: (d)

Q is a prime number and a member of a prime triplet. If Q = 17, which one of the following can not be a
member of the prime triplet which contains Q?
(a) 11 (b) 13
(c) 19 (d) 29 (e) 23
Answer: (d)
Which one of the following is correct explanation for a prime number not to be a perfect number?
(a) Prime numbers and perfect numbers are two different numbers therefore, a prime number cannot be
perfect number
(b) Only a composite number can be a perfect number because a prime number has only two factors
(c) A prime number cannot be a perfect number because it has only two factors 1 and the number itself and
sum of these two factors cannot be twice of the number
(d) If sum of the factors of a number except the number is equal to the number then it is a perfect number
(e) None of these

Answer: (c)

Find the HCF of 256 and 400.

(a) 4 (b) 8
(c) 16 (d) 32
(e) None of these

Answer: (c)

Jack: HCF of two numbers remains same even if the numbers are multiplied by any number.
Codi: HCF of two numbers gets doubled when the numbers are doubled.
Who is correct?
(a) Jack (b) Codi
(c) Both are correct (d) Both partially incorrect
(e) None of these

Answer: (b)
Explanation
Codi is correct because when two numbers are multiplied by a same number then their HCF also increase as
the product of the original HCF and the number

Which one of the following statements is not true?

(a) If X and Y are the two co-prime numbers, their HCF is 1
(b) If HCF of X and Y is X then Y is divisible by X.
(c) If HCF of X and Y is equal to the HCF of Y and Z, HCF of X and Z is also the same
(d) lf X + l = Y, X and Y are co-prime numbers
(e) None of these
Answer: (c)

C If Y = 2X, Z = 5Y, HCF of XYZ =:

(a) X (b) Y
(c) Z (d) All of these
(e) None of these
Answer: (a)
Sam chooses two numbers X and Y and he performs the long division method by dividing Y by X. He
notices the last divisor is 1. Which one of the following is not true?
(a) X and Y have only one common factor
(b) X and Y are the co-prime numbers
(c) HCF of X and Y is 1
(d) X and Y are the even numbers
(e) None of these

Answer: (d)

Which one of the following is the LCM of 30 and 45?

(a) 45 (b) 90
(c) 180 (d) 360
(e) None of these

Answer: (b)

X is a 5 digit prime number. Sum of the digits of X is 28. You have to make it a multiple of least odd prime
number by putting one more digit in the right side of the number. Which one of the following digits would
you like to put?
(a) 0 (b) 1
(c) 2 (d) 3
(e) None of these

Answer: (c)
Explanation
Sum of the digits of X is 28 and the least odd prime number is 3.Jhus you should put 2 in the right side of the
number so that sum of digits of the number be divisible by 3.

What two digit least number should be added to 25427 so that it becomes multiple of 25?
(a) 23 (b) 21
(c) 25 (d) 27
(e) None of these

Answer: (a)

X is a multiple of Y, Y is a multiple of Z, and Z is a multiple A and x > y.

Which one of the following is the least common multiple of X, Y, Z, A?
(a) X (b) Y
(c) Z (d) A
(e) None of these
Answer: (a)
If LCM of two numbers is 600 and the numbers are 150 and 200 then find their HCF.
(a) 50 (b) 60
(c) 75 (d) 80
(e) None of these

Answer: (a)
Explanation
Product of Numbers 150  200
HCF=   50
L.C.M 600
So the HCF = 50.

HCF and LCM of two numbers are 4 and 48 respectively. If one of the numbers is 2 more than X (Where X =
10) then find the other number.
(a) 10 (b) 12
(c) 16 (d) 18
(e) None of these

Answer: (c)
Explanation
Given X = 10
Therefore, one of the numbers = 10 + 2 = 12
4  48
Required number   16.
12

Jack: If X is a LCM of two co-prime numbers, X is equal to the product of the prime numbers.
Codi: HCF of two or more than two numbers is always a factor of their LCM. Who is correct?
(a) Jack (b) Codi
(c) Both are correct (d) Both partially incorrect
(e) None of these

Answer: (c)

Which one of the following statements is not correct?

(a) If X is a natural number and Y is a multiple of X then Y is the LCM of X and y
(b) lf X = Y, LCM of X and Y = HCF of X and Y
(c) A number is the smallest multiple and greatest factor of itself
(d) LCM of two prime numbers is a prime number
(d) None of these
Answer: (d)

Find the least number when divided by 20, 25 and 50 leaves remainder 9 in each case?
(a) 89 (b) 109
(c) 209 (d) 229 (e) None of these
Answer: (b)
1. Find the HCF of 24, 56, and 72.
(a) 2 (b) 4
(c) 8 (d) 12
(e) None of these

2. Three bells ring at the interval of 10, 15 and 20 minutes respectively. The three bells ring together at 12 :
45 PM at what time will they ring together next?
(a) 1:45PM (b) 2:OOPM
(c) 2:45PM (d) 3:15PM
(e) None of these

3. Find the HCF of three and four digits smallest number?

(a) 1 (b) 100
(c) 1000 (d) 10
(e) None of these

4. Find the smallest number that is divisible by both 225 and 625?
(a) 5525 (b) 5625
(c) 3025 (d) 7225
(e) None of these

5. Find the smallest number which when divided by, 4, 6, 8,12 and 20 leaves the remainder 1 in every case?
(a) 111 (b) 121
(c) 125 (d) 129
(e) None of these

6. Find the smallest number which is exactly divisible by 27, 45, 60, 72 and 9?
(a) 2520 (b) 2300
(c) 1520 (d) 1080 (e) None of these

7. Which one of the following is not true?

(a) Greatest common multiple of two numbers cannot be found
(b) If two numbers are multiplied with each other to find their LCM, means numbers are co-prime
(c) HCF of two numbers tells us about their factors
(d) LCM of two numbers never lie between the numbers on the number line
(e) None of these
8. LCM of the two co-prime numbers is 560, if one of the numbers is 80, find the other number?
(a) 60 (b) 17
(c) 56 (d) 7
(e) None of these

9. Which one of the following is not true?

(a) HCF of n digit and n +1 digit smallest number is the n digit smallest number (here n is a natural number)
(b) LCM of n digit and n + 1 digit smallest number is the n + 1 digit smallest number (here n = natural
numbers)
(c) HCF of n digit and n + 1 digit greatest number is the 1 digit greatest number (here n = natural numbers)
(d) LCM of n digit and n + 1 digit greatest number is the n + 1 digit greatest number (here n = natural
numbers)
(e) None of these

10. Add the first three common multiples of 8 and 12 and find what least number should be added to it so
that it will become multiple of 11?
(a) 1 (b) 5
(c) 7 (d) 10
(e) None of these

Answers – Self Evaluation Test

1. C 2. A 3. B 4. B 5. B 6. D 7. C 8. D 9. D 10. D
1. Factors of 24 = 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8,12, 24
Factors of 56 = 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 14, 28, 56
Factors of 72 = 1,2,3,4,6,8,9,12,18,24,36,72
Thus HCF of 24, 56, 72 = 8

2. LCM of 10, 15, 20 = 60

Thus bells will ring together after 60 minutes.

5. LCM of 4, 6, 8, 12, 20 = 120.

Thus, the required number = 120 + 1 = 121

6. LCM of 27, 45, 60, 72 and 9 = 1080.

7. HCF of two numbers does not tell us about all the factors of numbers. It tell us only about the highest factor
among the common factors.

8. Let the other number be x

 Numbers are co-prime
Therefore, LCM of X and 80  X  80
560  X  80
x7