Math Intervention 3–5 Grade

Multifaceted Number Concepts 207

What is the Finding Common Multiples Concept?

Multiples of a number are the product of multiplying that

number by another whole number. For example, 18 is a

multiple of 3 because 3 x 6 = 18. Three has other multiples,

too: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 21, 24, 27, 30,.... Often the task is to fi nd

common multiples of two or more numbers. For example,

24 is a common multiple of 6 and 8 because 24 is a multiple

of 6 and of 8. Every multiple of 24 is also a multiple of 6 and

a multiple of 8. The common multiples of 6 and 8 follow an

infi nite pattern, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120,.... If the task is to fi nd the

least common multiple (LCM) of 6 and 8, the multiples of 6

and 8 are compared to fi nd the smallest common multiple

(other than zero), which is 24.

CCSS

Operations and Algebraic Thinking

Formative Assessment

To fi nd out if a student understands the fi nding common

multiples concept, ask the student to name at least fi ve

multiples of the following numbers:

5 7 12

Then ask the student to fi nd at least two common multiple of

the following pairs of numbers:

5, 15 4, 10 24, 16

Then ask the student to fi nd the LCM of the following

numbers:

5, 6, 15 50, 4, 20 24, 6, 15

Finding Common Multiples

CONCEPT: