Emma buys packets of coloured beads. Purple beads are sold in packets of 8 Red beads are sold in packets of 5 Blue beads are sold in packets of 10 Emma wants to buy an equal number of purple, red and blue beads. What is the smallest number of each colour Emma could buy?

Question

Mathematics

Shaun Hess

16 July, 11:50

Emma buys packets of coloured beads. Purple beads are sold in packets of 8 Red beads are sold in packets of 5 Blue beads are sold in packets of 10 Emma wants to buy an equal number of purple, red and blue beads. What is the smallest number of each colour Emma could buy?

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Answers (1)

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Amanda · Answer 1

The factors of each number are:

8 = 2 * 2 * 2

5 = 5 * 1

10 = 5 * 2 * 1

Therefore the smallest number that Emma could buy would be the product of the greatest common factors:

2 * 2 * 2 * 5 * 1 = 40

Hence Emma would buy 40 packets each.