Searching 4

for Common
Ground
Common Factors and Common Multiples

WARM UP LEARNING GOALS

List all factor pairs for • Identify the factors of numbers and the common factors
each number. of two whole numbers.
• Identify the multiples of numbers and the common
1. 42 multiples of two whole numbers.
• Write and evaluate numeric expressions using the
2. 56 Distributive Property to model composing and
decomposing the areas of rectangles.
3. 84 • Rewrite the sum of two whole numbers with a common
factor as a product using the Distributive Property.
4. 91
KEY TERMS
• common factor
• relatively prime
• greatest common factor (GCF)
• multiple
• Commutative Property of Multiplication
• least common multiple (LCM)

Just as you can compose and decompose shapes, you can compose and decompose
numbers using factors and multiples. How can you use shapes to see relationships
between numbers?

LESSON 4: Searching for Common Ground • M1-39

 Getting Started

How Many Rectangles Can You Build?

Understanding the area of rectangles is helpful when learning
about factors. A rectangular area model is one way to represent
multiplication.

Your class is going to create area models for each number: 12, 15, 16,
and 20. For the number assigned to you by your teacher, use the grid
paper at the end of the lesson to create and cut out as many unique
rectangles as possible with the area of your assigned number. Label
each rectangle with its dimensions.

Number assigned to me:

1. List the dimensions of all of the rectangles that you created for
your assigned number.

2. How do you know if you have created all of the possible

rectangles with the given area?

3. How are factors represented in your rectangles?

4. List all of the factors of the number that you were assigned.

M1-40 • TOPIC 1: Factors and Area

 AC T I V I T Y
Using Rectangles to
4.1 Determine Common Factors

For this investigation, select a partner who has created area models
for a number different from the number assigned to you.

Together with your partner, combine one of your rectangles and one
of your partner’s rectangles to make a bigger rectangle. If possible,
use this method to create additional rectangles.

1. Complete the table with the information from each larger

rectangle created by you and your partner.

Number assigned to me Number assigned to my partner

Dimensions Dimensions Dimensions Area of the Larger Total Area

of Smaller of Smaller of the Larger Rectangle as a Sum of of Larger
Rectangle 1 Rectangle 2 Rectangle the Smaller Rectangles Rectangle

l 3 w1 l 3 w2 l(w1 1 w2) A1 1 A2

2. How are the dimensions of the larger rectangle related to its

total area?

3. For each larger rectangle you and your partner created,

write a numeric expression that relates the dimensions
of the larger rectangle to the sum of the areas of the
smaller rectangles.

LESSON 4: Searching for Common Ground • M1-41

 Consider any factors that are shared between your number and your
partner’s number. These are called common factors.

4. How are the common factors represented in the larger

rectangles that you and your partner created?

5. How are the common factors represented in the numeric

expressions that you and your partner wrote?

6. List the common factors of the two numbers.

AC T I V I T Y

4.2 Prime Factorization

Suppose you are looking for the common factors of 56 and 42, but
you do not have grid paper or scissors to create rectangles. Is there
another way?

WORKED EXAMPLE
One way to determine common factors is to 56 5 2 ? 2 ? 2 ? 7
use prime factorization. Start by writing each 42 5 2 ? 3 ? 7
number as a product of its prime factors.
A factor tree is a
Organize the prime factors into a table, where only shared
way to organize the
factors are listed in the same column.
prime factorization
of a number. Choose Number Prime Factors
any factor pair to get
started. 56 2 2 2 7
18 42 2 3 7
2 9
3 3 The common factors of the two numbers are the numbers that
18 5 2 ? 3 ? 3 are in both rows and the product of the numbers that are in
both rows.
The common factors of 56 and 42 are 2, 7, and 14.

M1-42 • TOPIC 1: Factors and Area

1. How do you know that 14 is a common factor of 56 and 42?

2. Why is there a space between 2 and 7 in the top row of

the table?

3. Create a table to identify common factors.

a. Identify all of the common factors of 54 and 84.

b. Of the common factors, which factor is the largest?

The greatest common factor (GCF) is the largest factor two or Two numbers that do
more numbers have in common. not have any common
factors other than 1
4. Rewrite each numeric expression using the Distributive are called relatively
Property and the GCF. prime.

a. 56 1 42

b. 54 1 84

LESSON 4: Searching for Common Ground • M1-43

 AC T I V I T Y

4.3 Common Multiples

Rectangular arrays can also be used to determine multiples and

common multiples.

A multiple is the
Consider the area model for 6 ? 8 5 48.
product of a given
whole number and
8
another whole
number.

The Commutative One way to think about the area model is to analyze the collection
Property of of columns. As you look at how the area model builds from left
Multiplication states to right, the addition of each new column creates a multiple of 6.
that for any numbers So, column 1 alone is a 6 3 1 rectangle, which represents the first
a and b, the product multiple of 6, which is 6. By adding column 2, the rectangle is now
a ? b is equal to the 6 3 2, which represents the second multiple of 6, which is 12. The
product b ? a. whole rectangle represents 6 3 8, or 48.

1. List the first eight multiples of 6 by labeling each column of

the area model.

Next, think about the area model as a collection of 6 rows. The first
row alone creates an 8 3 1 rectangle, which represents the first
multiple of 8, which is 8. Including all rows of the 8 3 6 rectangle
represents the sixth multiple of 8, which is 48.

2. List the first six multiples of 8 by labeling each row of the

area model.

M1-44 • TOPIC 1: Factors and Area

While 48 is a multiple shared by both 6 and 8, it is not the least
common multiple (LCM). The LCM is the smallest multiple (other than NOTES
zero) that two or more numbers have in common.

3. Analyze the multiples of 6 and 8 that you labeled on the area

model. Identify the least common multiple of 6 and 8.

As demonstrated by the rectangular array, for any two whole numbers

a and b, a common multiple is a ? b. However, this number may not be
the least common multiple of a and b.

4. Determine the least common multiple of 6 and 9.

a. List the first 9 multiples of 6.

b. List the first 6 multiples of 9.

c. What is the least common multiple of 6 and 9?

5. Determine the least common multiple of 7 and 8.

6. Using prime factorization, how can you determine whether the

least common multiple of two numbers is the product of the
two numbers, or is less than the product of the two numbers?

LESSON 4: Searching for Common Ground • M1-45

 NOTES
TALK the TALK

Bringing It Back Around

Answer each question to show how to use the Distributive
Property to decompose numbers.

1. Consider the sum 36 1 24.

a. Express the sum 36 1 24 as many ways as possible as

the product a(b 1 c).

b. How can you use factors to determine if you have listed

all possible products a(b 1 c) that are equivalent to
36 1 24?

2. Suppose you have a composite figure composed of a

rectangle and another parallelogram with a shared side.
The area of the rectangle is 72 square centimeters and the
area of the parallelogram is 84 square centimeters.

Explain how to use factors and multiples to determine all

possible dimensions a, b, and h for the figure.

M1-46 • TOPIC 1: Factors and Area

Grid Paper

LESSON 4: Searching for Common Ground • M1-47

 Assignment

Write
1. Match each definition to its corresponding term.
a. a rectangular arrangement that has an equal i. factor pair
number of objects in each row and an equal ii. array
number of objects in each column iii. Commutative Property of Multiplication
b. the product of a given whole number and another iv. factor
whole number v. multiple
c. two natural numbers other than zero that are
multiplied together to produce another number
d. one of the two numbers being multiplied together
in a factor pair
e. changing the order of two or more factors in a
multiplication problem does not change the product

2. Select the word that makes the following statement true. Then, use complete sentences to explain your
choice: The LCM of two numbers is (always, sometimes, never) the product of the two numbers.

Remember
Numbers can be decomposed into a product of their prime factors. Numbers can be composed into
multiples. Numbers can be compared by their greatest common factor and their least common multiple.

Practice
1. Consider the numbers 18 and 30.
a. List all of the factors of 18.
b. List all of the factors of 30.
c. What factors do 18 and 30 have in common?
d. What is the greatest common factor of 18 and 30?
2. Consider the numbers 54 and 72.
a. Complete a prime factorization of 54 and write it as a product of primes.
b. Complete a prime factorization of 72 and write it as a product of primes.
c. Put the prime factors of 54 and 72 into a table.
d. What are the common factors of 54 and 72?
e. What is the greatest common factor of 54 and 72?
3. For each pair of numbers, determine the least common multiple and at least one other common multiple.
a. 3 and 5 b. 4 and 6 c. 8 and 12

LESSON 4: Searching for Common Ground • M1-49

 Stretch
1. Determine the LCM for each group of numbers. 2. Determine the GCF for each group of numbers.
a. 4, 8, 14 a. 8, 27, 35
b. 9, 15, 18 b. 20, 90, 50

Review
Determine the area of each figure.
1. 12 m 2. In the given kite, SZ 5 WZ 5 10 yards,
TZ 5 12 yards, and RZ 5 32 yards.
4m
S

16 m
Z
R T

6m W

3. The polygon is a rhombus. 4.

5 yards
2 yards 8 yards
12 yd

11 yd

5.

7 ft

7 ft

M1-50 • TOPIC 1: Factors and Area