Question

An army contingent of $616$ members is to march behind an army band of $32$ members in a parade. The two groups are to march in the same number of columns. What is the maximum number of columns in which they can march?

Answer 1

Find the maximum number of columns in which they can march by finding the HCF of $(32,616)$ :

Since$616>32$,

Applying Euclid’s Division:

$616=32x19+8$

Since the remainder is not equal to zero.

Apply Euclid’s Division Algorithm again :

Since $32>8$

$32=8\times 4+0$

Now the remainder is zero. thus $8$ is the HCF of $616$ and $32$.

Hence the maximum number of columns in which they can march is $8$.