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Fast Greatest Common Divisor (GCD) Algorithm

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14 Feb 2011CPOL 32.7K   3   12
/// /// Find the Greatest Common Divisor /// /// Number a /// Number b /// The greatest common Divisor public static long GCD(long a, long b) ...
/// <summary>
/// Find the Greatest Common Divisor
/// </summary>
/// <param name="a">Number a</param>
/// <param name="b">Number b</param>
/// <returns>The greatest common Divisor</returns>
public static long GCD(long a, long b)
{
    while (b != 0)
    {
        long tmp = b;
        b = a % b;
        a = tmp;
    }

    return a;
}

/// <summary>
/// Find the Least Common Multiple
/// </summary>
/// <param name="a">Number a</param>
/// <param name="b">Number b</param>
/// <returns>The least common multiple</returns>
public static long LCM(long a, long b)
{
    return (a * b) / GCD(a,b);
}

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)


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Comments and Discussions

 
GeneralDear Julius (jfriedman): My original algorithm (the core pa... Pin
DrABELL17-Feb-11 12:17
DrABELL17-Feb-11 12:17 
Dear Julius (jfriedman):

My original algorithm (the core part of it using Euclid method of finding GCD) is not recursive, it's iterative, pretty much the same as yours. The local variable GCD has the same name as the function (which probably caused your confusion), but the function does not call itself, because the local var declaration takes precedence. So, this is the same iterative method. To avoid the confusion, just rename it to whatever you want, like for example, _GCD, or _gcd, etc.

I ask you kindly: please DO NOT post anything else to this comments thread, I am closing it now. This seemingly everlasting discussion has, IMHO, very little added value and starts looking more and more like some artificial problem/solution very much out of context. In case you value your opinion/suggestion more than my original solution and my following rather detailed comments/explanation, then please post your own tips outside of my comment thread.

Thanks and regards,
A.Bell
GeneralDr. Abell, Please stop. http://www.codeproject.com/KB/reci... Pin
jfriedman17-Feb-11 11:30
jfriedman17-Feb-11 11:30 
GeneralHi Richard, Regarding my previous post: obviously I was tal... Pin
DrABELL17-Feb-11 2:59
DrABELL17-Feb-11 2:59 
GeneralRe: "You point (1) is just a re-wording of my statement ..." No... Pin
Richard Deeming21-Feb-11 10:54
mveRichard Deeming21-Feb-11 10:54 
General"some languages (e.g. VB) by default use ByRef instead of by... Pin
Richard Deeming17-Feb-11 2:33
mveRichard Deeming17-Feb-11 2:33 
GeneralHi, 1. Apparently I refer to "null" (re: "...to check if th... Pin
DrABELL15-Feb-11 5:22
DrABELL15-Feb-11 5:22 
GeneralDr.Abell, int is a value type which can never be null. The b... Pin
jfriedman15-Feb-11 4:03
jfriedman15-Feb-11 4:03 
GeneralJulius, Thanks for your comment, but I still think that simp... Pin
DrABELL15-Feb-11 2:29
DrABELL15-Feb-11 2:29 
General1.) You are claiming that if both numbers are equal the Eucl... Pin
jfriedman14-Feb-11 23:25
jfriedman14-Feb-11 23:25 
General1. There are 3 reasons given: which one you are talking abou... Pin
DrABELL14-Feb-11 18:23
DrABELL14-Feb-11 18:23 
GeneralI am not sure how correct your assertation is... I dont' use... Pin
jfriedman14-Feb-11 10:37
jfriedman14-Feb-11 10:37 
GeneralHi: I would NOT recommend the Alternate 3 for several reaso... Pin
DrABELL14-Feb-11 9:16
DrABELL14-Feb-11 9:16 

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