Module 5 Fundamentals of Number Theory

La Carlota City College
Business and Management Department

Math A: Fundamentals of Arithmetic Engr. Hazel B. Nobleza, ECE, LPT
Module 5: Fundamentals of Number Theory
A. Divisible, Multiple, Factors
 If a, b and c are counting numbers, then c is divisible by a and b if a  b = c.
Examples:
a. 6 is divisible by 3 and 2, since 32=6
b.20 is divisible by 2, 4, 5, 10, since 2  10 = 20
4  5 = 20
 If a, b and c are counting numbers, then a is a factor of c and b is a factor of c.
Examples:
a. 3 is a factor of 6
2 is a factor of 6, since 32=6
b.1, 2, 4, 5, 10, 20 are factors of 20, since:
1  20 = 20
2  10 = 20
4  5 = 20
 If a, b and c are counting numbers, the product of a, b or c and a counting number is called a multiple
of a, b or c.
Example:
a. 6 is a multiple if 3, since 3 multiplied by 2 equals 6
6 is also a multiple of 2, since 2 multiplied by 3 equals 6, hence
6 is a multiple of 3 and 2
 If a, b and c are counting numbers and if a  b = c, then a and b are factors of c.

Examples:
c is a multiple of b and a multiple of a
c is divisible by b and is divisible by a
B. Even Numbers and Odd Numbers
 EVEN Number – it is a counting number that is divisible by 2; it is a multiple of 2 denoted by the

form 2n where is n a counting number.
Examples: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 18, 26
 ODD Number – it is a counting number not divisible by 2 and denoted by 2n + 1 or 2n – 1, where n

is a counting number.
Examples: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 21, 29
Math a: Fundamentals of arithmetic | module 5 1 | P a g e

C. Prime Numbers and Composite Numbers
 PRIME Number – is any counting number which has only one (1) and itself as factors.
Examples:
a. 2, when we factor 2, 2 = 2  1
b.3, when we factor 3, 3 = 3  1
c. Other examples: 11, 13, 29, 31
Note: A prime number can be odd or even but not the other way around.
 COMPOSITE Number – is a counting number which has more than two factors.
Examples: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 21, 29
a. 8, when factored gives: 8=24
8=18
The set of factors of 8 are {1, 2, 4, 8}, so 8 is a composite.
b.Other examples of composite numbers: 10, 25, 30, 100, 120.
Note: A composite number can be odd or even but not the other way around.
D. Complete Factorization
 Any number can be expressed as the product of two factors.

 Since a composite number has many factors, it can be expressed as a product of primes.
 The process of finding the prime factors is called prime factorization or complete factorization of the
number.
Method 1: Factor Tree
 Start by writing the number and then writing it as a product of two factors. Write the factors below
the number and connect them to the number with a small line segment – a “branch” of the factor tree.
 If a factor is prime, we circle it (like a bud on a tree), and do not factor that “branch” any further.
 If a factor is not prime, we repeat this process, writing it as the product of two factors and adding new
branches to the tree.
 We continue until all the branches end with a prime.
 When the factor tree is complete, the circled primes give us the prime factorization.
 The prime factorization is the product of the circled primes. We generally write the prime
factorization in order from least to greatest.
 When some of the prime factors are repeated, we can write prime factorization in exponential form.
Examples:
1. 48 48 = 2  2  2  2  3
48 = 24  3

2.36 36 = 2  2  3  3
36 = 22  32
Method 2: Successive Division
 Divide the number by the smallest prime number which divides the number exactly.
 If that prime evenly divides the number, place the quotient below. Continue the process as needed.
 Remember to use prime numbers only to divide.
Examples:
1.40
2.
40 divided by 2
20 divided by 2
10 divided by 2
STOP since 5 is already a prime number
40 = 2  2  2  5
40 = 23  5
3.32
4.
32 divided by 2
16 divided by 2
8 divided by 2
4 divided by 2
STOP since we can’t further divide 2 (smallest prime number)
32 = 2  2  2  2  2
32 = 25

E. Greatest Common Divisor and Least Common Multiple
 Greatest Common Divisor (GCD) – it is the greatest or largest natural number that divides a given
pair of natural numbers with remainder of zero
- It is also called as the Greatest Common Factor (GCF) and either of these two names may be used.
- Two numbers whose GCD is one (1) are said to be relatively prime.
- One of the applications of the GCD is in simplifying fractions. Both the numerator and the
denominator are factored and common factors are cancelled.
Examples:
a. 24 and 23
24 = 1  2  2  2  3  The only factor common to both 24 and 23 is 1,
23 = 1  23 therefore 24 and 23 are said to be relatively prime.
b.32 and 16
32 = 2  2  2  2  2  The factors common are 2  2  2  2, so the GCD of both
16 = 2  2  2  2 numbers is 16.
16
c. Simplify
32
16 2/2 22
/ /1/
= =
/ 22
32 22 / 2/ 2/
d.40, 60, 90
40 = 2  2  2  5  The GCD is 2  5 = 10.
60 = 2  2  3  5
90 = 2  3  3  5
 Least Common Multiple (LCM) – it is the least natural number which is a multiple of each of the
two given numbers.
- It can also be thought of as the least number that is divisible of both the given numbers.
- The application of the LCM is used in combining fractions as in addition and subtraction of
dissimilar fractions.
Examples:
a. LCM of 2 and 5
Find the multiples of 2 and 5: 2 = {2, 4, 6, 8, 10…} LCM = 10

5 = {5, 10, 15, 20…}
Or, we could factor each number to get the LCM: 2=21 LCM = 1  2  5
5=51 LCM = 10
b.LCM of 12 and 24
12 = 2  2  3 LCM = 2  2  2  3
24 = 2  2  2  3 LCM = 24

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La Carlota City College

Business and Management Department

Module 5: Fundamentals of Number Theory

A. Divisible, Multiple, Factors

 If a, b and c are counting numbers, then c is divisible by a and b if a  b = c.

 If a, b and c are counting numbers, then a is a factor of c and b is a factor of c.

 If a, b and c are counting numbers and if a  b = c, then a and b are factors of c.

B. Even Numbers and Odd Numbers

 EVEN Number – it is a counting number that is divisible by 2; it is a multiple of 2 denoted by the

Examples: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 18, 26

 ODD Number – it is a counting number not divisible by 2 and denoted by 2n + 1 or 2n – 1, where n

Math a: Fundamentals of arithmetic | module 5 1 | P a g e

b.Other examples of composite numbers: 10, 25, 30, 100, 120.

 Any number can be expressed as the product of two factors.

Method 1: Factor Tree

Math a: Fundamentals of arithmetic | module 5 2 | P a g e

Method 2: Successive Division

Math a: Fundamentals of arithmetic | module 5 3 | P a g e

Find the multiples of 2 and 5: 2 = {2, 4, 6, 8, 10…} LCM = 10

Math a: Fundamentals of arithmetic | module 5 4 | P a g e

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