Let $m,n$ be positive integrars such that $\gcd(m,n) = 6$ find $\operatorname{lcm(}4m,21n)$

divisibilityelementary-number-theory

Let $m,n$ be positive integers such that $\gcd(m,n) = 6$. find $\operatorname{lcm}(4m,21n)$?

According to my approach depending upon the prime factorization of $m$ and $n$, there are different possible values for $\operatorname{lcm}$ of $4m$ and $ 21n $. for writing the complete solution should I have to discuss all the possible cases or there is some simple direct solution?

If anyone has the solution kindly post it.

Best Answer

This is an updated edit to my previous answer, which was misguided in assuming facts not presented in the question as posed.

The numbers $6,4,21$ appear in the question. $6=2\cdot 3, 4=2^2, 21=3\cdot 7$, so to answer the question it will be necessary to keep track of the prime factors $2,3,7$ as they may appear in $m$ and $n$. In what follows, all variable names are natural numbers.

Let $m=(2^a3^b7^c\cdot d)$ and $n=(2^e3^f7^g\cdot h), \gcd(d,h)=1$. Since there is one factor of each of $2$ and $3$ in $m$ and $n$, $\min(a,e)=1, \min(b,f)=1$; that is, $2$ and $3$ must appear as factors in each of $m,n$ at least once, but in one or the other of them only once. Since $m$ and $n$ have no common factor of $7$, $\min(c,g)=0$; that is, at least one of $m,n$ must have no factor of $7$.

Next, $4m=2^{a+2}3^b7^c\cdot d$ and $21n=2^e3^{f+1}7^{g+1}\cdot h$. Let $i=\min(a+2,e), j=\min(b,f+1), k=\min(c,g+1)$. Then lcm$4m\cdot 21n=\frac{84mn}{2^i3^j7^k}$.

$i$ may take on the values $1,2,3$; $j$ may take on the values $1,2$; $k$ may take on the values $0,1$. so there are twelve possible values for the denominator $2^i3^j7^k$ (which are $6,12,18,24,36,42,72,84,126,168,252,504$) and hence twelve possible answers to the posed question. A single answer would require knowing more about the factors of $m$ and $n$, which information is not given.

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