GCF and LCM of 21 and 60

The GCF of 21 and 60 is 3. The LCM of 21 and 60 is 420.

Method 1: list the factors (GCF)

Factors of 21: 1, 3, 7, 21.
Factors of 60: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 20, 30, 60.
Common factors: 1 and 3. The greatest of these is 3.

Method 2: prime factorization

21 = 3 × 7
60 = 2 × 2 × 3 × 5

GCF: multiply the prime factors both numbers share: 3 = 3.

LCM: multiply every prime the maximum number of times it appears in either number: 2 × 2 × 3 × 5 × 7 = 420.

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. 60 = 2 × 21 + 18
  2. 21 = 1 × 18 + 3
  3. 18 = 6 × 3 + 0

The last non-zero remainder is 3, so GCF(21, 60) = 3.

LCM by listing multiples

Multiples of 21: 21, 42, 63, 84, 105, 126, 147, 168, 189, ...
Multiples of 60: 60, 120, 180, 240, 300, 360, 420, 480, ...
The first number in both lists is 420.

Check: GCF × LCM = product

3 × 420 = 1,260 = 21 × 60. This always holds for two numbers, so you can find the LCM as (21 × 60) ÷ 3 = 420.

Simplifying the fraction 21/60

Divide the top and bottom by the GCF 3: 21/60 = 7/20.

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 60260
3 and 60360
4 and 60460
5 and 60560
6 and 60660
7 and 601420

See also: factors of 21 · factors of 60.

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