How_To_Be_Good_At_Math

30 NUMBERS •^ MULTIPLES

Multiples

When two whole numbers are multiplied together,

we call the result a multiple of the two numbers.

MULTIPLES OF 3

MULTIPLES OF 4

Above the line we have marked the first

16 multiples of 3. To find the multiples,

we multiply 3 by 1, then 2, then 3, and so on:

3 × 1 = 3, 3 × 2 = 6, 3 × 3 = 9

We can use a number line like this to

work out a number’s multiples. And if

you know your multiplication tables, you’ll

find working with multiples is even easier!

0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21

0 4 8 12 16 20

The number 12 is a

multiple of both 3 and 4

Finding multiples

Common multiples

We have found out that some numbers can be multiples of

more than one number. We call these common multiples.

MULTIPLES OF 3

FROM 1 TO 50

MULTIPLES OF 4

FROM 1 TO 50

COMMON

MULTIPLES

This is a Venn diagram. It’s another

way of showing the information in

the number line above. In the blue

circle are multiples of 3 from 1 to 50.

The green circle shows all the multiples

of 4 from 1 to 50.

There are four numbers

in the section where the

circles overlap: 12, 24, 36, and

48. These are the common
    multiples of 3 and 4.

The lowest common multiple of

3 and 4 is 12. We don’t know their

highest common multiple, because

numbers can be infinitely large.

3 4

8

16

20

28

32

40

44

6

9

12

15

18 21

24

27

30

33

36

39

42

45

48

We call the smallest number

in the overlapping section

the lowest common multiple

A multiple of a number is

that number multiplied by

any other whole number.

030_031_Multiples.indd 30 29/02/2016 18:56