Question

The dimensions of a floor are $18 	imes 24$. What is the smallest number of identical square tiles that pave the entire floor without the need to break any tile?

Accepted Answer

D. To minimize the number of square tiles, we must maximize the side length of each tile. Side length of tile = $	ext{HCF}(18, 24) = 6$. Number of tiles required = $\frac{	ext{Area of floor}}{	ext{Area of 1 tile}} = \frac{18 	imes 24}{6 	imes 6} = 3 	imes 4 = 12$.

Square tiles paving a floor

Explanation

Practise this under exam conditions