Solve the problem.
-Tom and Larry are food inspectors at a cookie making company. Tom tests every 16th batch of dough for fat percentage. Larry tests every 28th batch of dough for carbohydrate percentage. If they both start working at the same time, which batch will be the first that they both test?
A) The 56th batch
B) The 112th batch
C) The 28th batch
D) The 224th batch

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The first batch they both test will be the least common multiple (LCM) of 16 and 28. The prime factorization of 16 is 2^4, and of 28 is 2^2 * 7. The LCM is 2^4 * 7 = 16 * 7 = 112. Therefore, the first batch they both test is the 112th batch.

Solve the Problem. -Tom and Larry Are Food Inspectors at a Cookie Making