Note On HCF and LCM

1. What is HCF?
H.C.F. or Highest Common Factor is the greatest number that divides each of the two
or more numbers. H.C.F. is also called the Greatest Common Measure (G.C.M.) and
Greatest Common Divisor (G.C.D.).
2. Methods of Finding H.C.F.
a) Finding H.C.F. – Factorization Method
b) Finding H.C.F. – Prime Factorization Method
c) Finding H.C.F. – Division Method
d) Finding H.C.F. – Short Cut Method

a) Finding H.C.F. – Factorization Method

 To find the H.C.F. of two or more numbers using the factorization method following
steps are used:
Step 1: Write down all the factors of all the numbers.
Step 2: Take out the common factors.
Step 3: Select the highest number among the numbers found in step 2

Example: -
Find the H.C.F. of 36 and 45.
Factors of 36 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 36.
Factors of 45 are 1, 3, 5, 9, 15 and 45.
Common factors are 1, 3, and 9.
The highest common factor is 9.

b) Finding H.C.F. – Prime Factorization Method

 To find the H.C.F. of two or more numbers using the prime factorization method
following steps are used:
Step 1: Write down the prime factors of all the numbers.
Step 2: Select the common prime factors of the numbers.
Step 3: Multiply the common prime factors obtained in step 2.

Example,
Find the H.C.F. of 36 and 45.
Prime factors of 36 are 2 × 2 × 3 × 3
Prime factors of 45 are 3 × 3 × 5
Common prime factors are 3 and 3.
The highest common factor is 3 × 3 = 9.

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 c) Finding H.C.F. – Division Method

 To find the H.C.F. of two or more numbers using the division method following steps
are used:
Step 1: Write the given numbers horizontally, in a sequence, by separating them
with commas.
Step 2: Find the smallest prime number which can divide the given number. It
should exactly divide the given numbers. (Write on the left side).
Step 3: Now write the quotients.
Step 4: Repeat the process, until you reach the stage, where there is no coprime
number left.
Step 5: We will get the common prime factors as the factors on the left-hand side
divides all the numbers exactly. The product of these common prime factors is
the HCF of the given numbers.
For example, find the H.C.F. of 36 and 45.