GCF and LCM of 21 and 23

The GCF of 21 and 23 is 1. The LCM of 21 and 23 is 483.

21 and 23 share no common factor except 1, so they are coprime (relatively prime). When two numbers are coprime their LCM is simply their product: 21 × 23 = 483.

Method 1: list the factors (GCF)

Factors of 21: 1, 3, 7, 21.
Factors of 23: 1, 23.
Common factors: 1. The greatest of these is 1.

Method 2: prime factorization

21 = 3 × 7
23 = 23 (prime)

GCF: multiply the prime factors both numbers share: there are none, so the GCF is 1.

LCM: multiply every prime the maximum number of times it appears in either number: 3 × 7 × 23 = 483.

Method 3: Euclidean algorithm (GCF)

Divide the larger number by the smaller and repeat with the remainder until it is 0. The last non-zero remainder is the GCF.

  1. 23 = 1 × 21 + 2
  2. 21 = 10 × 2 + 1
  3. 2 = 2 × 1 + 0

The last non-zero remainder is 1, so GCF(21, 23) = 1.

LCM by listing multiples

Multiples of 21: 21, 42, 63, 84, 105, 126, 147, 168, 189, ...
Multiples of 23: 23, 46, 69, 92, 115, 138, 161, 184, 207, ...
The first number in both lists is 483.

Check: GCF × LCM = product

1 × 483 = 483 = 21 × 23. This always holds for two numbers, so you can find the LCM as (21 × 23) ÷ 1 = 483.

Simplifying the fraction 21/23

21/23 is already in lowest terms because the GCF of 21 and 23 is 1.

GCF and LCM of similar pairs

NumbersGCFLCM
2 and 21142
3 and 21321
4 and 21184
5 and 211105
6 and 21342
7 and 21721
2 and 23146
3 and 23169
4 and 23192
5 and 231115
6 and 231138
7 and 231161

See also: factors of 21 · factors of 23.

Different numbers? Use the GCF and LCM calculator (any amount of numbers) or browse all GCF and LCM pairs.