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One place where this is used is to simplify fractions: you need to find the greatest common factor, then divide top and bottom by this greatest common factor.Also, in factoring expressions - you can take out the greatest common factor. For example (using "^" for power): 5x^2 + 10x has the greatest common factor 5x; so this can be taken out as a common factor, resulting in 5x(x + 2).
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EzraIn order to simplify a rational fraction, you can divide the numerator and denominator by their greatest common factor. However, it is often simpler to divide them both by any common factor (not necessarily the greatest) and then to repeat the process with the resulting fraction. This can be just as fast as finding a large common factor and then carrying out divisions using a large number.
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Do you do factors of the greatest common factor or multiples?
When doing fractions it is the greatest common factor (GCF) and the least common multiple (LCM). You want the GCF when you are reducing fractions to their simplest form. When changing the denominators to a common one, you want the LCM.
How is common factors and greatest common factors similar and different?
They really aren't all that similar... Greastest common factor finds the greatest number that you can divide both numbers by... for example, the GCF of 15 and 20 is 5, because 15 / 3 = 5 and 20 / 4 = 5, there is no higher number for division purposes that the two share. 10 is higher than 5 in the case of 20, but you cannot divide 15 by 10 without getting a remainder of 5. Least common multiple finds the smallest common number that you can get when multiplying a number... for example, the LCM of 15 and 45 is 15 itself; 15 x 1 = 15, and 15 x 3 = 45. There is no smaller number that you can find that is common between the two. Another example, since the previous one had an LCM of an actual number being asked would be 18 and 24... in this case it would be 72 because there is no smaller number that the two share when multiplied by another value. They are somewhat similar in how you find the end value, however. By dividing the two given numbers in the case of LCM, you will eventually break them up into prime numbers. Eliminating all similar numbers and then multiplying what is left will give you the LCM. In the case of GCF, by doing the same thing minus multiplying the prime numbers, you will end up finding the greatest number that the two are divisible by.
What is the highest common multiple of 30 and 45?
The lowest common multiple is 90 .There is no highest one. If you think you've found the highest one,just add 90 to it, and you'll have a higher common multiple. You cancontinue doing that forever.
What are the factors fo 128?
watsup im doing homework so here 1 2 4 8 16 32 64 128
How can the greatest common factor and least common multiple help you work with fractions?
Finding the GCF of the numerator and the denominator of a fraction and dividing them both by it will give you the simplest form of that fraction. Finding the LCM of unlike denominators and converting them to it will make it possible to add and subtract unlike fractions.
