diff --git a/lab1/Makefile b/lab1/Makefile
index 9385d8e..4b14d1a 100644
--- a/lab1/Makefile
+++ b/lab1/Makefile
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ else
     ARMGCC_ROOT := ${shell dirname ${ARMGCC_BIN}}/..
 endif
 
+# Search for source files that are not in this directory
+VPATH = ../common/
+
 OBJECTS = main.o system.o startup.o syscalls.o
 
 NAME = lab
@@ -47,7 +50,7 @@ LFLAGS = -Wl,-T,../config.lds \
 all: $(NAME).out
 	@echo "SUCCESS: Compilation completed successfully."
 
-main.o: main.c
+%.o: %.c
 	@$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -g $< -c -o $@
 
 system.o: ../system.c
diff --git a/lab2/Makefile b/lab2/Makefile
index 1a68222..26f9be7 100644
--- a/lab2/Makefile
+++ b/lab2/Makefile
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ else
     ARMGCC_ROOT := ${shell dirname ${ARMGCC_BIN}}/..
 endif
 
+# Search for source files that are not in this directory
+VPATH = ../common/
+
 OBJECTS = main.o bump.o delay.o clock.o system.o startup.o syscalls.o
 
 NAME = lab
@@ -47,13 +50,7 @@ LFLAGS = -Wl,-T,../config.lds \
 all: $(NAME).out
 	@echo "SUCCESS: Compilation completed successfully."
 
-main.o: main.c
-	@$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -g $< -c -o $@
-
-bump.o: ../common/bump.c
-	@$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -g $< -c -o $@
-
-delay.o: ../common/delay.c
+%.o: %.c
 	@$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -g $< -c -o $@
 
 clock.o: ../common/clock.c
diff --git a/lab3/Makefile b/lab3/Makefile
index 7920501..7bc71d4 100644
--- a/lab3/Makefile
+++ b/lab3/Makefile
@@ -10,7 +10,10 @@ else
     ARMGCC_ROOT := ${shell dirname ${ARMGCC_BIN}}/..
 endif
 
-OBJECTS = main.o bump.o delay.o clock.o reflectance.o cpu.o system.o startup.o syscalls.o
+# Search for source files that are not in this directory
+VPATH = ../common/
+
+OBJECTS = main.o bump.o delay.o reflectance.o clock.o cpu.o system.o startup.o syscalls.o
 
 NAME = lab
 
@@ -47,21 +50,12 @@ LFLAGS = -Wl,-T,../config.lds \
 all: $(NAME).out
 	@echo "SUCCESS: Compilation completed successfully."
 
-main.o: main.c
-	@$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -g $< -c -o $@
-
-bump.o: ../common/bump.c
-	@$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -g $< -c -o $@
-
-delay.o: ../common/delay.c
+%.o: %.c
 	@$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -g $< -c -o $@
 
 clock.o: ../common/clock.c
 	@$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $< -c -o $@
 
-reflectance.o: ../common/reflectance.c
-	@$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -g $< -c -o $@
-
 cpu.o: ../common/cpu.c
 	@$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $< -c -o $@