How do I execute this problem?

The smallest positive integer that can be divided by each of the number from 1 to 10 without leaving a remainder is 2520. In other words 2520 is the smallest positive number that has all the numbers from 1 to 10 as factors.

Write the Matlab code to find the smallest positive number that is divisible by all the number from 1 to 12 without leaving a remainder. Place the answer in a variable called resultA.

Answer 1

[Daniel]

Hi Thobeka,

Here is one way to do it. Since this is for your homework you should figure out how to do it in a smarter way than this.

A top limit was chosen as 1,000,000 so it does't run forever

 resultA = -1;
 toplimit = 1000000;

Iterate through all even numbers from 2 to top limit until the value is found. The variables named after numbers store a boolean (either true or false). Check if the remainder of a division is zero using the mod(a,b) function. If all the numbered variables are true then store i into resultA and break out of the for loop.

 for i = 2:2:toplimit
    %in the variables named after the number use mod(a,b) to check if the 
    two = mod(i,2) == 0;
    three = mod(i,3) == 0;
    four = mod(i,4) == 0;
    five = mod(i,5) == 0;
    six = mod(i,6) == 0;
    seven = mod(i,7) == 0;
    eight = mod(i,8) == 0;
    nine = mod(i,9) == 0;
    ten = mod(i,10) == 0;
    eleven = mod(i,11) == 0;
    twelve = mod(i,12) == 0;

    if two && three && four && five && six && seven && eight && nine && ten && eleven && twelve
        resultA = i;
        break;

    end

 end

Display the result to the command line.

 if resultA ~= -1
    fprintf('the smallest positive number that is divisible by all numbers from 1 to 12 is : %d\n',resultA);
 else
    fprintf('FAIL');
 end