GCF WORD PROBLEMS

About the topic GCF word problems

GCF word problems play a major role quantitative aptitude test. There is no competitive exam without the questions from this topic. We have already learned this topic in our lower classes.Even though we have been already taught this topic in our lower classes, we need to learn some more short cuts which are being used to solve the problems in the above topic.

The only thing we have to do is, we need to apply the appropriate short cut and solve the problems in a limited time. This limited time will be one minute or less than one minute in most of the competitive exams

Why do students have to study this topic?

Students who are preparing to improve their aptitude skills and those who are preparing for this type of competitive test must prepare this topic in order to have better score. Because, today there is no competitive exam without questions from the HCF and LCM word problems. Whether a person is going to write placement exam to get placed or a students is going to write a competitive exam in order to get admission in university, they must be prepared to solve HCF and LCM word problems. This is the reason for why people must study this topic.

Benefit of studying this topic

As we mentioned in the above paragraph, a person who wants to get placed in a company and a students who wants to get admission in university for higher studies must write competitive exams like placement test and entrance exam. To meet the above requirement, it is very important to score more marks in the above mentioned competitive exams. To score more marks, they have to prepare this topic. Preparing this topic would definitely improve their marks in the above exams. Preparing this topic is not difficult task. We are just going to remember the stuff that we have already learned in our lower classes

Shortcuts we use to solve the problems

Short cut is nothing but the easiest way to solve word problems related to HCF amd LCM. In competitive exams, we will have very limited time to solve each problem. Then only we will be able to attend all the questions. If we do problems in competitive exams in perfect manner with all the steps, it will definitely take much time and we may not able to attend the other questions. So we need some other way in which the problems can be solved in a very short time. The way we need to solve the problem quickly is called as shortcut.

Here, we are going to have some GCF word problems. You can check your answer online and see step by step solution.

1. Six bells commence tolling together and toll at intervals of 2, 4, 6, 8 10 and 12 seconds respectively. In 30 minutes, how many times do they toll together?(excluding the one at start)

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For example, let the two bells toll after every 3 secs and 4 secs respectively.
Then the first bell tolls after every 3, 6, 9, 12 seconds...
Like this, the second bell tolls after every 4, 8, 12 seconds...

So, if the two bell toll together now, again they will toll together after 12 seconds. This 12 seconds is nothing but the L.C.M of 3 seconds and 4 seconds

The same thing happened in our problem. To find the time, when they will all toll together, we have to find the L.C.M of (2,4,8,6,10,12).

L.C.M of (2,4,8,6,10,12) is 120 seconds = 2 minutes.
So, after every two minutes, all the bell will toll together.
For example, in 10 minutes, they toll together 10/2 = 5 times
That is, after 2,4,6,8,10 minutes. It does not include the one at the start

Similarly, in 30 minutes, they toll together 30/2 = 15 times.(excluding one at the start)

2. The traffic lights at three different road crossings change after every 48 sec, 72 sec and 108 sec respectively. If they all change simultaneously at 8:20:00 hrs, when will they again change simultaneously?

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For example, let the two signals change after every 3 secs and 4 secs respectively.
Then the first signal changes after every 3, 6, 9, 12 seconds...
Like this, the second signal changes after every 4, 8, 12 seconds...

So, if the two signals change simultaneously now, again they will change simultaneously after 12 seconds. This 12 seconds is nothing but the L.C.M of 3 seconds and 4 seconds

The same thing happened in our problem. To find the time, when they will all change simultaneously, we have to find the L.C.M of (48,72,108).

L.C.M of (48,72,108) is 432 seconds = 7 min 12 sec
So, after every 7 min 12 sec, all the signals will change simultaneously.

At 8:20:00 hrs, if all the three signals change simultaneously, again they will change simultaneously after 7 min 12 sec. That is at 8:27:12 hrs.

Hence, three signals will change simultaneously at 8:27:12 seconds.

3. A merchant has 120 ltrs of and 180 ltrs of two kinds of oil. He wants the sell oil by filling the two kinds of oil in tins of equal volumes. What is the greatest of such a tin.

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The given two quantities 120 and 180 can be divided by 10, 20,... exactly. That is, both the kinds of oils can be sold in tins of equal volume of 10, 20,... ltrs.

But, the target of the question is, the volume of oil filled in tins must be greatest.

So, we have to find the largest number which exactly divides 120 and 180.That is nothing but the H.C.F of (120, 180)

H.C.F of (120, 180) = 60

The 1st kind 120 ltrs is sold in 2 tins of of volume 60 ltrs in each tin.
The 2nd kind 180 ltrs is sold in 3 tins of of volume 60 ltrs in each tin.

Hence, the greatest volume of each tin is 60 ltrs.

4. Find the least number of soldiers in a regiment such that they stand in rows of 15, 20, 25 and form a perfect square.

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To answer this question, we have to find the least number which is exactly divisible by the given numbers 15,20 and 25.That is nothing but the L.C.M of (15,20,25)

L.C.M of (15,20,25) = 300

So, we need 300 soldiers such that they stand in rows of 15, 20 , 25.

But, it has to form a perfect square (as per the question)

To form a perfect square, we have to multiply 300 by some number such that it has to be a perfect square.
To make 300 as perfect square, we have to multiply 300 by 3.
Then, it is 900 which is a perfect square.

Hence, the least number of soldiers required is 900.

5. Find the least number of square tiles by which the floor of a room of dimensions 16.58 m and 8.32 m can be covered completely.

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We require the least number of square tiles. So, each tile must be of maximum dimension.

To get the maximum dimension of the tile, we have to find the largest number which exactly divides 16.58 and 8.32.That is nothing but the H.C.F of (16.58, 8.32)
16.58X100 = 1658 cm and 8.32X100 = 832 cm

H.C.F of (1658, 832) = 2

Hence the side of the square tile is 2 cm

Required no. of tiles = (Area of the floor) / (Area of a square tile)

= (1658X832)/2X2 = 344864

Hence, the least number of square tiles required = 344864

6. A wine seller had three types of wine. 403 liters of 1st kind, 434 liters of 2nd kind and 465 liters of 3rd kind. Find the least possible number of casks of equal size in which different types of wine can be filled without mixing.

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For the least possible number of casks of equal size, the size of each cask must be of the greatest volume.

To get the greatest volume of each cask, we have to find the largest number which exactly divides 403, 434 and 465.That is nothing but the H.C.F of (403,434,465)

The H.C.F of (403,434,465) = 31 liters

Each cask must be of the volume 31 liters.

Req. No. of casks = (403/31)+(434/31)+(465/31)= 13+14+15 = 42

Hence, the least possible number of casks of equal size required is 42

7. The sum of two numbers is 588 and their HCF is 49. How many such pairs of numbers can be formed?

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Since the H.C.F is 49, the two numbers could be 49x and 49y

Their sum is 588. So, 49x+49y = 588 ===> x+y = 12
We have to find the values of "x" and "y" such that their sum is 12.

The possibles values of (x,y) = (1,11),(2,10),(3,9),(4,8)(5,7)(6,6).

Here, we have to check an important thing. That is, in the above pairs of values of (x,y), which are all co-primes?

[Co-primes = Two integers are said to be co-primes or relatively prime if they have no common positive factor other than 1 or, equivalently, if their greatest common divisor is 1]

Therefore in the above pairs, (1,11) and (5,7) are the co-primes.

Hence, the number of pairs is 2

8. The product of two numbers is 2028 and their H.C.F. is 13. The number of such pairs is:

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Since the H.C.F is 13, the two numbers could be 13x and 13y

Their product is 2028. So, (13x)X(13y) = 2028 ===> xy = 12
We have to find the values of "x" and "y" such that their product is 12.

The possibles values of (x,y) = (1,12),(2,6),(3,4).

Here, we have to check an important thing. That is, in the above pairs of values of (x,y), which are all co-primes?

[Co-primes = Two integers are said to be co-primes or relatively prime if they have no common positive factor other than 1 or, equivalently, if their greatest common divisor is 1]

Therefore in the above pairs, (1,12) and (3,4) are the co-primes.

Hence, the number of pairs is 2

Click here to know more about H.C.F and L.C.M

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