Least Common Multiple(LCM) Mean in Math

The LCM stands for ‘Least Common Multiple’. The least common multiple (LCM) of two numbers is the lowest possible number that can be divisible by both numbers.

It can be determined for two or more numbers as well. There is a distinct way to find the LCM of a given set of numbers. One of the quickest ways to calculate the LCM of two numbers is to use the prime factorization of each number and then the product of the greatest powers of the common prime factors will be the LCM of those numbers.

What is LCM (least common multiple)?

The lowest common multiple in math.is also known as LCM (or). The least common multiple. The least common multiple of two or more numbers is the smallest number among all common multiples of the given numbers.

Let us two numbers 2 and 3 in each set of multiple

• Multiples of 2 are 2,4,6,8,10,12…..
• Multiples of are is 3,6,9,12,15,…..

Common multiply 2 and 3=6,12,.

Least common multiply (LCM) 2  and 3=6

Thus, the common multiples of 2 and 3 are 6, 12, ….. The smallest number among 6, 12, … is 6. So the least common multiple of 2 and 3 is 6. It can be written as LCM (2, 3) = 6.

For example:

Find the least common multiple (LCM) of 4 and 5

Solution:

The first few multiples of 4 are=4,8,12,16,20,24,28,32,36,40,……..

The first few multiples of 5 are=5,10,15,20,25,30,35,40,…

Common multiply 4 and 5=20,40

Least common multiply (LCM) 4  and 5=20

LCM Of 4 and 5=20

We can observe that 20 is the least multiple which is common in the multiples of 4 and 5.

Therefore, the least common multiple (LCM of 4 and 5) is 20.

How to calculate the LCM?

Calculate the LCM of numbers using different methods. There are three (3) different methods to calculate the least common multiple of two number

• LCM by the listing method
• LCM by prime factorization Method
• LCM by using the division Method