''' { This is the recursive function that you call to process the numbers continuously. For simplicity, the numbers in this case are called a and b. You can call them whatever you want, obviously. } ''' def EuclideanGCD(a, b): ''' { We take the absolutes of a and b, and pop them back into a and b. We do this because we want to deal with non-negative numbers. } ''' a = abs(a) b = abs(b) ''' { The three conditions below are the recursive base conditions, which are put to end the recursive loop and return the correct answer. When a and b are both 0, it basically means that the two numbers, don't really have a GCD, which might happen. } ''' if a == 0 and b == 0: return None ''' { When a is zero, it means that the GCD is stored in b, as we saw in the example. } ''' if a == 0 and not b == 0: return b ''' { Vice versa, when b is zero, the GCD is stored in a. } ''' if not a == 0 and b == 0: return a ''' { The algorithm is applied FROM the larger number TO the smaller number. Always subtract the smaller from the larger number. So, to check which number is larger, we use this little condition. } ''' if a > b: ''' { So, I know we said subtraction, but repeated subtraction without extra conditions can cause computational issue. Using the modulus operator makes our life much simpler. The modulus operator gets us the remainder of the first number divided with the second number, which essentially means subtracting the second number from the first number until you cannot subtract further. Hence, your remainder. Once you get the remainder, you just pass it into the function. } ''' return EuclideanGCD(a % b, b) else: ''' { If the second number is bigger or equal to the first, this is what gets called. } ''' return EuclideanGCD(b % a, a) ''' { The least common multiple is a positive integer that is divisible fully, by both the first and second number. } ''' def LeastCommonMultiple(a, b): ''' { If a and b are both zero, the multiples don't exist. } ''' if a == 0 and b == 0: return 0 ''' { This is the standard method to calculate the least common multiple. LCM(a , b) = | a * b | --------- GCD(a , b) } ''' return abs(a * b) / EuclideanGCD(a, b) print(LeastCommonMultiple(4, 7)) # 4, 2 # Table of 4: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, … # Table of 2: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, … # LCM(4, 2) = | 4 * 2 | / GCD(4 , 2) = | 8 | / 2 = | 4 | = 4