GCF and LCM of 3 and 18

The GCF of 3 and 18 is 3. The LCM of 3 and 18 is 18.

Method 1: list the factors (GCF)

Factors of 3: 1, 3.
Factors of 18: 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 18.
Common factors: 1 and 3. The greatest of these is 3.

Method 2: prime factorization

3 = 3 (prime)
18 = 2 × 3 × 3

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 × 3 × 3 = 18.

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. 18 = 6 × 3 + 0

The last non-zero remainder is 3, so GCF(3, 18) = 3.

LCM by listing multiples

Multiples of 3: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, ...
Multiples of 18: 18, 36, ...
The first number in both lists is 18.

Check: GCF × LCM = product

3 × 18 = 54 = 3 × 18. This always holds for two numbers, so you can find the LCM as (3 × 18) ÷ 3 = 18.

Simplifying the fraction 3/18

Divide the top and bottom by the GCF 3: 3/18 = 1/6.

GCF and LCM of similar pairs

NumbersGCFLCM
2 and 316
3 and 4112
3 and 5115
3 and 636
3 and 7121
3 and 8124
2 and 18218
4 and 18236
5 and 18190
6 and 18618
7 and 181126
8 and 18272

See also: factors of 3 · factors of 18 · 3/18 as a decimal.

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