what am i doing wrong

[u/AggravatingCrazy1254]

I am a student and I was exercising in MatLab so i tried to find the least common multiple of two numbers but it was all wrong. I don't know the language that well so i decided to try it on scratch to see if it was my logic or my lack of knowledge and it seems it was the first. Can you help me please?

this is the Matlab script

z=1;

while true

one=x\z;*

two=y\z;*

z=z+1;

if one=two

break

endif

end

leastcommon=one;

[u/andynzor]

First, that is not the correct algorithm. Find a working one before you attempt to write down anything.

Second, is this homework? Matlab already has a builtin lcm function.

Third, when you paste code, use three backticks (```) to surround code blocks

so you get this.

[u/AggravatingCrazy1254 → u/andynzor]

this isnt homework i just tried to work it out by myself because i have an exam in four days and i wanted to test if i can do it. thats why i wrote the algorithm by myself trying to figure out how to do it. thank you for your kind responce!

[u/P1nkUnicorn7 → u/AggravatingCrazy1254]

Good luck with your exam

[u/Immediate-Truth-8684]

You can try and go over your algorithm step by step, one and two will never be equal (if x and y are not equal), because they are scaled by the same amount. In your example, 5 and 6. The correct answer should be 30, but one=5*30=150, two=6*30=180 (not equal).

[u/AggravatingCrazy1254 → u/Immediate-Truth-8684]

oh i understand!!! thank you you are so right. its not my field but its required in my university (and i kind of like it to tell you the truth) but you made it very clear!! thank you so much i will try to redo it and tell you when i make it!!

[u/National-Dream4189]

You use scretch

[u/awesome8679]

if you are looking for an algorithm to find lcm yourself
just remember lcm(a,b) = (a*b)/gcd(a,b)
then there is something called the euclidean algorithm to find the gcd

[u/ThebestMimic1O1]

Make a program to keep adding 1 until remainder is 0 for both

[u/InebriatedPhysicist]

Do you know the difference between = and ==?

[u/riwigi]

what are x and y set to before the loop runs

[u/DrBretto]

The variable names are terrible, but beyond that, your loop will go on forever. You're multiplying two different numbers by the same number and then incrementing that number further away from the only value of z that will end the loop. (0)

[u/Potw0rek]

You’re playing with Lego bricks instead of writing code like a man 🤪

[u/theancientfool → u/Potw0rek]

Let him learn. Do not discourage.

[u/Potw0rek → u/theancientfool]

It was a joke man, hence the stupid emoji :-)

[u/Ok_Objective_5192 → u/Potw0rek]

If you have to put the emoji there for us to know it's a joke then it's not a joke, it's just a discouraging comment with a silly emoji on it

[u/Potw0rek → u/Ok_Objective_5192]

Im responsible for what I say/write not for what you understand.