Composite Factor Bottleneck
GMAT glossary · Playbook
Definition
Taking the LCM of composite divisor requirements (max exponents) so shared primes are not double-counted into a false bottleneck.
Composite Factor Bottleneck in plain English
Pull Composite Factor Bottleneck when a composite divisor constraint is tighter than its prime pieces alone. Clues include divisible by 12 and 18, must be a multiple of 60, or bottleneck. Take LCM of the composite requirements (max exponents), not the product of the primes casually. Multiplying the composites double-counts shared primes; LCM is the true bottleneck that clears every composite at once. Ask what least number is forced, not what product looks big. Micro-example: divisible by 12 and 18. Product 12 x 18 = 216 overcounts shared factors; mathrmLCM(12,18) = 36 is the real least multiple that clears both composites.
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