Question 2
Two gears have 45 and 75 teeth respectively. If they start aligned with specific marked teeth touching, how many complete rotations will the smaller gear make before the marked teeth touch again?
- 5 rotations (correct answer)
- 3 rotations
- 15 rotations
- 25 rotations
Explanation: The marked teeth will touch again when both gears return to their starting position. This happens when each gear completes a whole number of rotations, which occurs after LCM(45,75) teeth have passed the contact point. Find LCM(45,75): 45 = 3²×5, 75 = 3×5². LCM = 3²×5² = 9×25 = 225. So after 225 teeth pass, the marked teeth align again. The smaller gear (45 teeth) will have made 225 ÷ 45 = 5 complete rotations. The larger gear (75 teeth) will have made 225 ÷ 75 = 3 rotations. Choice B (3) is the number of rotations the larger gear makes. Choice C (15) might come from incorrectly using GCF instead of LCM. Choice D (25) doesn't correspond to the correct calculation.
Question 3
The GCF of two numbers is 8, and their LCM is 240. If one of the numbers is 48, what is the other number?
- 30
- 40 (correct answer)
- 32
- 24
Explanation: Use the fundamental relationship: GCF(a,b) × LCM(a,b) = a × b. Given: GCF = 8, LCM = 240, one number is 48. So 8 × 240 = 48 × b, where b is the unknown number. This gives us 1920 = 48b, so b = 1920 ÷ 48 = 40. Let's verify: GCF(48,40): 48 = 2⁴×3, 40 = 2³×5. GCF = 2³ = 8 ✓. LCM(48,40): LCM = 2⁴×3×5 = 16×15 = 240 ✓. Choice A (30) would give GCF(48,30) = 6, not 8. Choice C (32) would give GCF(48,32) = 16, not 8. Choice D (24) would give GCF(48,24) = 24, not 8.