Find the Lowest Common Multiple or Greatest Common Divisor in Excel
Microsoft Excel is known to help facilitate mathematical calculations. We all know tools for simple mathematical formulas such as addition, subtraction, and so on. However, when we move to more complex mathematical functions, we should use formulas to process the function on Excel.
Find the smallest common common or the greatest common divisor in Excel
One of these cases is while trying to find the lowest common denominator or the biggest common factor in Excel. If you want to find the smallest common multiple or the largest common divisor in Excel, check the following procedures:
- Find the least common multiple (LCM) of a range of numbers
- Find the largest common divisor (GCD) of a range of numbers.
1) Find the smallest common multiple of a range of numbers in Excel
Lowest common multiple: The least common multiple or LCM of a group of numbers is the smallest common multiple of these integers. This means that all these numbers would be divisible by the LCM while giving an integer value. LCM is useful for calculating gears and planetary alignment problems.
If you want to find the smallest common multiple of a group of numbers in Excel, place these numbers sequentially in the same column. In this case, the syntax of the lowest common denominator formula would be:
=LCM(: )
For example. Suppose we place the four numbers for which we must calculate the lowest common denominator of cell A4 to cell A7. The formula for calculating the lowest common denominator would then be:
=LCM(A4:A7)
In the example cited (as shown in the screen capture), we place the formula in cells C4 and Enter to get the result.
2) Find the greatest common divisor of a range of numbers in Excel
Largest common divider: The greatest common divisor or GCD is the highest integer that could be used to divide the group of numbers in question and give an integer value.
If you need to find the lowest common denominator of a set of numbers in Excel, place them sequentially in the same column. In such a case, the syntax of the lowest common denominator formula would be:
=GCD(: )
For example. Suppose we place the four numbers for which we must calculate the lowest common denominator of cell A4 to cell A7. The formula for calculating the lowest common denominator would then be:
=GCD(A4:A7)
We will place the formula in cells C4 and Enter to get the result displayed in the screen capture.
Even if you miss cells in a column, the formula will work as long as the first cell and the last cell are correct. It is important that all values are in the same column.
I hope you can make it work.