IXL | GCF and LCM: word problems

Abby is creating party favors with pencils and stickers. She has 18 pencils and 12 stickers, and wants each party favor to include the same combination of pencils and stickers, with none left over. What is the greatest number of party favors she can make?

party favors

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Learn with an example

question

Pam is making necklaces. She has 18 orange beads and 10 brown beads. If Pam wants to make all the necklaces exactly the same with no beads left over, what is the greatest number of necklaces she can make?

necklaces

key idea

The greatest common factor is the largest whole number that is a factor of each of two or more numbers.

solution

List the factors of each number. Find the largest number that appears in both lists.

Factors of 18:	18, 9, 6, 3, 2, 1
Factors of 10:	10, 5, 2, 1

The greatest common factor of 18 and 10 is 2. That means that the greatest possible number of necklaces is 2, because the 18 orange beads could be used to make 2 necklaces with 9 orange beads each and the 10 brown beads could be used to make 2 necklaces with 5 brown beads each.

The greatest number of necklaces Pam can make is 2.

Looking for more? Try these:

Lesson: Greatest common factor

Lesson: Least common multiple

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Lesson: Greatest common factor

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