Solving Oil Drop Experiment: Calculate Largest e Value

[cake_is_a_lie]

Homework Statement

The values for the charges on oil drops are 3,99 6,65 2,66 10,64 3,99 and 9,31
all these multiplied with x10^-19C.
What is the largest value of the fundamental unit of charge that is consistent with the measured charges?

Homework Equations

Fundamental unit of charge is e=1,60x10^-19C

The Attempt at a Solution

The question confuses me a little bit. Taking mean average is useless because the highest value is asked. I don't find also any reason to calculate ratios between the measured values althought 6,65/3,99=1,6666...
Any ideas?

 

[tiny-tim]

hi cake_is_a_lie!

The values for the charges on oil drops are 3,99 6,65 2,66 10,64 3,99 and 9,31 …

well, they're (approximately) 12/3, 20/3, 8/3, 32/3, and 28/3 …

 

[cake_is_a_lie]

Thank you for answering.
But I don't really understand the point. Actually this time the explanation and deduction is more useful than the actual answer.

 

[tiny-tim]

well, what's the largest unit consistent with 12/3, 20/3, 8/3, 32/3, and 28/3, being multiples of that unit?

 

[tiny-tim]

well, what's the largest unit consistent with 12/3, 20/3, 8/3, 32/3, and 28/3, being multiples of that unit?

If I understand right it is 3. What I meant before was that how did you deduced these common fraction.

nooo … each value has to be a multiple of the unit

how can 20/3 be a multiple of 3?​

you need to find the highest common factor (the highest number which goes into each value a whole number of times)