C++ algorithm to calculate least common multiple for multiple numbers

Question

Is there a C++ algorithm to calculate the least common multiple for multiple numbers, like lcm(3,6,12) or lcm(5,7,9,12)?

Answer 1

You can use std::accumulate and some helper functions:

#include <iostream>
#include <numeric>

int gcd(int a, int b)
{
    for (;;)
    {
        if (a == 0) return b;
        b %= a;
        if (b == 0) return a;
        a %= b;
    }
}

int lcm(int a, int b)
{
    int temp = gcd(a, b);

    return temp ? (a / temp * b) : 0;
}

int main()
{
    int arr[] = { 5, 7, 9, 12 };

    int result = std::accumulate(arr, arr + 4, 1, lcm);

    std::cout << result << '\n';
}

Answer 2

/*

Copyright (c) 2011, Louis-Philippe Lessard
All rights reserved.

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:

Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
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*/

unsigned gcd ( unsigned a, unsigned b );
unsigned gcd_arr(unsigned * n, unsigned size);
unsigned lcm(unsigned a, unsigned b);
unsigned lcm_arr(unsigned * n, unsigned size);
int main()
{
    unsigned test1[] = {8, 9, 12, 13, 39, 7, 16, 24, 26, 15};
    unsigned test2[] = {2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048};
    unsigned result;

    result = gcd_arr(test1, sizeof(test1) / sizeof(test1[0]));
    result = gcd_arr(test2, sizeof(test2) / sizeof(test2[0]));
    result = lcm_arr(test1, sizeof(test1) / sizeof(test1[0]));
    result = lcm_arr(test2, sizeof(test2) / sizeof(test2[0]));

    return result;
}


/**
* Find the greatest common divisor of 2 numbers
* See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greatest_common_divisor
*
* @param[in] a First number
* @param[in] b Second number
* @return greatest common divisor
*/
unsigned gcd ( unsigned a, unsigned b )
{
    unsigned c;
    while ( a != 0 )
    {
        c = a;
        a = b%a;
        b = c;
    }
    return b;
}

/**
* Find the least common multiple of 2 numbers
* See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Least_common_multiple
*
* @param[in] a First number
* @param[in] b Second number
* @return least common multiple
*/
unsigned lcm(unsigned a, unsigned b)
{
    return (b / gcd(a, b) ) * a;
}

/**
* Find the greatest common divisor of an array of numbers
* See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greatest_common_divisor
*
* @param[in] n Pointer to an array of number
* @param[in] size Size of the array
* @return greatest common divisor
*/
unsigned gcd_arr(unsigned * n, unsigned size)
{
    unsigned last_gcd, i;
    if(size < 2) return 0;

    last_gcd = gcd(n[0], n[1]);

    for(i=2; i < size; i++)
    {
        last_gcd = gcd(last_gcd, n[i]);
    }

    return last_gcd;
}

/**
* Find the least common multiple of an array of numbers
* See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Least_common_multiple
*
* @param[in] n Pointer to an array of number
* @param[in] size Size of the array
* @return least common multiple
*/
unsigned lcm_arr(unsigned * n, unsigned size)
{
    unsigned last_lcm, i;

    if(size < 2) return 0;

    last_lcm = lcm(n[0], n[1]);

    for(i=2; i < size; i++)
    {
        last_lcm = lcm(last_lcm, n[i]);
    }

    return last_lcm;
}

Source code reference

Answer 3

You can calculate LCM and or GCM in boost like this:

#include <boost/math/common_factor.hpp>
#include <algorithm>
#include <iterator>


int main()
{
    using std::cout;
    using std::endl;

    cout << "The GCD and LCM of 6 and 15 are "
     << boost::math::gcd(6, 15) << " and "
     << boost::math::lcm(6, 15) << ", respectively."
     << endl;

    cout << "The GCD and LCM of 8 and 9 are "
     << boost::math::static_gcd<8, 9>::value
     << " and "
     << boost::math::static_lcm<8, 9>::value
     << ", respectively." << endl;
}

(Example taken from http://www.boost.org/doc/libs/1_31_0/libs/math/doc/common_factor.html)