Least Common Multiple Example

By Jon OaksJun 18, 2011
There are two ways to find the LCM given in the textbook (Basic Mathematical Skills with Geometry, 8th Ed. by Baratto and Bergman) Let's look at example #4 on page 192 in a little more detail. One way of doing this problem would be the 'Listing Method'.  So, to find the LCM of 10 and 18, we could do the following: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, etc... 18, 36, 54, 72, 90, 108, 126, 144, 162, 180, etc... Note that 90 is the LCM, but 180 is also in common, it's…
Uncategorized
Read More

GCF, LCM, and Order of Operations

By Jon OaksJan 13, 2011
In my Basic Mathematics class we just finished discussing the order of operations, and students always seem to have a problem with it, especially when division comes before multiplication (Sally has always told them otherwise).  Today we discussed finding the Greatest Common Factor (GCF) and Least Common Multiple (LCM), another topic that students sometimes seem to have a problem with.  I came up with the following problem, which sparked quite a lot of discussion in the classroom.  But more than that, I think it is the type of problem that continues to reiterate the Order of Operations, and doesn't back…
Uncategorized, , ,
Read More