Find by prime factorisation the LCM of the numbers 18180 and 7575. Also, find the HCF of the two numbers.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 10:29 · grounding rag
Model Answer
Prime Factorisation:
$$18180 = 2^2 \times 3 \times 5 \times 5 \times 101 = 2^2 \times 3 \times 5^2 \times 101$$
$$7575 = 3 \times 5 \times 5 \times 101 = 3 \times 5^2 \times 101$$
HCF = Product of smallest powers of common prime factors
$$\text{HCF}(18180,\ 7575) = 3^1 \times 5^2 \times 101 = 3 \times 25 \times 101 = \mathbf{7575}$$
LCM = Product of greatest powers of all prime factors
$$\text{LCM}(18180,\ 7575) = 2^2 \times 3 \times 5^2 \times 101 = 4 \times 3 \times 25 \times 101 = \mathbf{30300}$$
Source: Chapter 1, Section 1.2 — The Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic
---
Explanation
- Key method: Prime factorise both numbers first, then apply the rules: HCF uses the lowest powers of common factors; LCM uses the highest powers of all factors.
- Notice here that 7575 divides 18180 exactly, so HCF = 7575 and LCM = 18180 × 2 = 30300. You can verify: HCF × LCM = 7575 × 30300 = 18180 × 7575 ✓
- Show all factorisation steps clearly — examiners award marks for working, not just the final answer.