MODULE 1
Least Common Multiple
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this module, you should be able: to:
Define Least Common Multiple
Discuss the purpose of LCM
Find LCM by 3 methods
I.DISCUSSION:
A multiple is the product result of one number multiplied by another number.
For example, we can get the multiples of 5 by multiplying 5 with numbers 1, 2, 3, and so on.
Multiples of 5 are: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25…
If a number is a multiple of two or more numbers, it is called a common multiple.
For example, 2 x 5 = 10.
Therefore, 10 is a multiple of both 2 and 5. Thus, 10 is said to be a common multiple of both 2 and 5.
What Is Least Common Multiple (LCM)?
LCM is the short form for “Least Common Multiple.” The least common multiple is defined as the
smallest multiple that two or more numbers have in common.
For example: Take two integers, 2 and 3.
Multiples of 2: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20….
Multiples of 3: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30 ….
6, 12, and 18 are common multiples of 2 and 3. The number 6 is the smallest. Therefore, 6 is the least
common multiple of 2 and 3.
So, what is LCM in math? The LCM of two numbers is the smallest number divisible by both
numbers.
One prime application of LCM is finding the lowest common denominator (LCD) of two or more
fractions. It plays a significant role in adding, subtracting, and comparing two or more fractions.
How to Find Least Common Multiple (LCM)?
Different methods to determine the LCM of a set of numbers are:
Listing the multiples
Prime Factorization
Division Method
Listing the Multiples Method
To find the LCM using multiples, list the multiples of the numbers in the table as shown. The least
common multiple is the first common multiple for the given numbers.
For 12 and 16, the number 48 is the LCM.
Prime Factorization Method
The prime factorization method involves finding the prime factors of the given numbers and
identifying the least common multiple (LCM). For example, pair the common multiples shown to
find the least common multiple of 12 and 16 using the prime factorization. List them along with the
remaining multiples.
LCM = 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 = 48
Division Method
In this method, the given numbers are divided by the common divisors until there is no possible
further division by the same number. The divisors and the remainders are multiplied to obtain the
least common multiple.
For example,
LCM = 2 × 2 × 3 × 4 = 48
II. ASSESSMENT:
Find LCM by any method:
1) 10, 3 2) 14, 6
3) 15, 6 4) 15, 20
5) 27, 18,36 6) 4, 30,40
7) 24, 32 8) 20, 30,45
9) 24, 36,72 10) 35, 25,75
Worksheet by Kuta Software LLC
