The area model makes the process of finding GCFs and LCMs visual. Note 5
Greatest Common Factor
If we think of the numbers 24 and 36 as the dimensions of a rectangle, then it follows that any common factor could be the dimensions of a square that would tile that entire rectangle.
For example, a 1-by-1 square would tile the 24-by-36 rectangle without any gaps or overlaps. So would a 2-by-2 or a 3-by-3 square. Notice that these numbers are all common factors of 24 and 36.
To determine the GCF, we want to find the dimensions of the largest square that could tile the entire rectangle without gaps or overlap. Here's one quick method.
Note that the 24-by-24 square could also be filled with the 12-by-12 tiles, so 12 by 12 is the largest tile that could fill the original 24-by-36 rectangle; therefore, 12 is the GCF of 24 and 36.
Least Common Multiple
Conversely, if we think of 24 and 36 as the dimensions of a rectangle that could tile a square, then it follows that any common multiple could be the dimensions of a square that could be tiled by this rectangle.
For example, since 24 36 = 864, a square that is 864 by 864 could be tiled by the 24-by-36 rectangle. The LCM of 24 and 36 would be the dimensions of the smallest square that could be tiled by the 24-by-36 rectangle.
Here's a quick method for determining the LCM.
The 72-by-72 square is the smallest square that can be tiled with a 24-by-36 rectangle. Therefore, the LCM of 24 and 36 is 72.
Use the following Interactive Activity to answer Problem A5.
This activity requires the Flash plug-in, which you can download for free from Macromedia's Web site. For a non-interactive version of this activity, use graph paper when drawing the squares and rectangles you wish to represent to ensure that the dimensions of the shapes are precise.