GCF and LCM of 4 and 6

The GCF of 4 and 6 is 2. The LCM of 4 and 6 is 12.

Method 1: list the factors (GCF)

Factors of 4: 1, 2, 4.
Factors of 6: 1, 2, 3, 6.
Common factors: 1 and 2. The greatest of these is 2.

Method 2: prime factorization

4 = 2 × 2
6 = 2 × 3

GCF: multiply the prime factors both numbers share: 2 = 2.

LCM: multiply every prime the maximum number of times it appears in either number: 2 × 2 × 3 = 12.

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. 6 = 1 × 4 + 2
  2. 4 = 2 × 2 + 0

The last non-zero remainder is 2, so GCF(4, 6) = 2.

LCM by listing multiples

Multiples of 4: 4, 8, 12, 16, ...
Multiples of 6: 6, 12, 18, ...
The first number in both lists is 12.

Check: GCF × LCM = product

2 × 12 = 24 = 4 × 6. This always holds for two numbers, so you can find the LCM as (4 × 6) ÷ 2 = 12.

Simplifying the fraction 4/6

Divide the top and bottom by the GCF 2: 4/6 = 2/3.

GCF and LCM of similar pairs

NumbersGCFLCM
2 and 424
3 and 4112
4 and 5120
4 and 7128
4 and 848
4 and 9136
2 and 626
3 and 636
5 and 6130
6 and 7142
6 and 8224
6 and 9318

See also: factors of 4 · factors of 6 · 4/6 as a decimal.

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