Thursday 10 May 2012

Question 1: The Smallest of the Lowest

This is really a warm-up question as we wait for all the guests to arrive.

A) Take the number 180 and list the pairs of factors. Which pair of factors of 180 has the smallest Lowest Common Multiple? Your answer must include the pair of numbers and their LCM.

B) Then, which pairs of factors of 6300 has the smallest Lowest Common Denominator? Your answer must include the pair of numbers and their LCM.

C) 10 Bonus Points for the first person only to submit a short and clear explanation of the mathematical principle that can be used to answer questions such as (A) and (B) without listing all the factor pairs.

You are only allowed to submit your answers ONCE. I will take your first answers and ignore the rest. It is therefore part of the game for you to decide whether you wish to just answer questions A and B or spend a little longer to gain the Bonus Points by answering A, B and C. Let me be clear, you cannot answer questions A and B first and later submit your answer to C. Of course, you could, but I will ignore it!

Good Luck!



Remember, your answers must be submitted below in the comments box. Your answers will not be visible until the question is Closed and you are then free to discuss the solution.
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3 comments:

  1. Unknown10 May 2012 at 16:28

    Sorry, no idea why this question was not published as scheduled. Anyway, here it is now!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous10 May 2012 at 17:23

    A. 1, 180
    2,90
    3,60
    4,45
    5, 36
    6,30
    9, 20
    10, 18
    12, 15
    Answer, 6, 30, with a LCM of 30.
    B. 30, 210 with a LCM of 210
    C. You can work it out by prime factorisation. You find the prime factors and group them into two sets of similar pairs and they multiply to get the answer. E.g if you have factors of 2x2x3x3x4x4x5, the smallest LCM of factors would be 2x3x4 and 2x3x4x5, as the LCM is one group of repeated numbers times the non repeated numbers, in the case above 2x3x4x5.
    By Catherine,8K, Bangkok Patana, cabo17@patana.ac.th.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Unknown11 May 2012 at 05:10

    I have received one absolutely perfect answer so far. This question will remain open until I get another 9!

    ReplyDelete

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