What is LCM

The lowest common multiple is the smallest multiple that two or more numbers have in common.

E.g multiples of 2 incude 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 whilst multiples of three include 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18.

Both 2 and 3 have the multiples 6, 12 and 18 common...

6 would be the LOWEST multiple that have in common

LCM is the least common multiple. In the case of two numbers, the least common multiple is the smallest number that is a multiple of both numbers.

least common multiple

Lowest Common Multiple

Least/Lowest Common Multiple. The smallest positive integer that is divisible by both A and B. For example - if it was for 4 and 6, the LCM would be 2.

LCM is a method where you have two or more numbers, and you fild the smallest number that can be multiplied into all of the numbers.

For example ; Q: Find the LCM of 20 and 25

So here, we could first try 2 as the LCM, however because 25 is odd we know that no even number can be a multiple.

Therefore the smallest number that can go into both 20 and 25 is 5.

5x4 = 20

5x5 = 25

LCM stands for the least common multiple or the lowest common multiple in math. The least common multiple of two or more numbers is the smallest number among all common multiples of the given numbers. Let's look at an example for a better understanding: let's look at 2 numbers: 3 and 7. Each has their own set of multiples:

Multiples of 3: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27,...

Multiples of 7: 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42,...

By looking at their multiples, we can notice that the first common multiple for 3 and 7 is 21. This is the least common multiple for 3 and 7. This is called the Listing Method which basically means listing a few multiples of each number until the lowest common multiple (LCM) is found. This method is used generally for low numbers where the LCM can be found only after a few listed multiples.

Another method available for finding LCM is by Prime Factorization Method, which is the most popular method as it is applicable for any number, low or high. The steps to be followed to use this method are the following:

• Step 1: Find the prime factors of the given numbers by repeated division method.
• Step 2: Write the numbers in their exponent form. Find the product of only those prime factors that have the highest power.
• Step 3: The product of these factors with the highest powers is the LCM of the given numbers.

In order to understand better this method, let's look at an example:

Example: Find the least common multiple (LCM) of 50 and 120 using prime factorization.

Solution: Let us find the LCM of 50 and 120 using the prime factorization method.

• Step 1: The prime factorization of 50 and 120 are: 50 = 2 × 5 × 5 and 120 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 × 5
• Step 2: If we write these prime factors in their exponent form it will be expressed as 50 = 2¹ × 5 ²  and

120 = 2³ × 3 × 5

• Step 3: Now, we will find the product of only those factors that have the highest powers among these. This will be: 2³ × 3¹ × 5² = 8 × 3 × 25 = 600

Therefore, LCM of 50 and 120 is = 600.

LCM stands for lowest common multiple. We write out the multiplications for the numbers and then look for the first 'number' that appears in both lists. This is the LCM.

So, it is the lowest common multiple that two numbers share. For example, if I had 2 and 5 you would list out the multiples of each like so, 2,4,6,8,10,12,14 5,10,15,20,25 and recognise which number is the lowest that BOTH numbers have. In this case it would be 10!

L = lowest = smallest

C = common = same

M = multiple = the times table

So if a question asks "what's the LCM of 3 and 5" you can think:

• What is the 3 times table? eg 3, 6, 9, 12...
• What is the 5 times table? eg 5, 10, 15, 20...
• Keep going until you find the first number which is in the 3 times table and the 5 times table.

There are more technical ways of answering this sort of question, but you can get by as long as you understand the words of LCM.

Hi! LCM is an abbreviation for 'Least Common Multiple'. It is the number that is the common multiple in a given set of numbers and is smallest or 'least in value'.

LCM is the lowest common multiple of two integers. This number is the smallest number that is divisible by both integers.

LCM is the lowest common multiple of any two or more than two numbers .

example if 8 and 12 are the two given numbers then their LCM is 24 (divisible by 8 and 12 )

Least common factor

LCM means Lowest common Multiple.

Multiple means all the numbers that come in the table of the given number.

Let's take an example. Multiples of 2 are 2,4,6,8,10.....so on.

If we take 2 and 3 then

Mutliples of 2 are 2,4,6,8,10,12,14.....

Multiples of 3 are 3,6,9,12,....

Here you see that 6, 12 both the common to both 2 and 3 but we will take the smaller(lowest) one.

So LCM = 6