Answer to Question #137779 in Algebra for nilu

Question

1. Mr.Steve has 120 pastel sticks and 30 pieces of paper to give to his students.
a) Find the largest number of students he can have in his class so that each student gets equal number of pastel sticks and equal number of paper.
b) Briefly explain the technique you used to solve (a).

Answer 1

Solution:

(a) No of pastel sticks = 120

No of pieces of papers = 30

To find the largest no students o that each student gets equal number of pastel sticks and equal number of paper we need to find out the GCF of 120 and 30.

Now to find the GCF we need

1. To find the prime factor of the 120 and 30

120 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 3 x 5

30 = 2 x 3 x 5

2. Multiply those factors both numbers have in common

There is one 2, one 3 and one 5 is common

So GCF(120,30) = 2 x 3 x 5 = 30

Answer: So Mr Steve can have 30 students in the class so that each student can get equal number of pastel sticks and piece of paper.

(b) When we need to equally distribute two or more set of items into the largest group we have to find the GCF(the Greatest Common Factor).

To find the Greatest Common Factor we need to follow the two steps.

1. Find the prime factor of the numbers
2. Multiply those factors which all numbers have in common.