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Question

What is LCM

2 years ago

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505 Replies

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I

Iftikhar


please explain it briefly

505 Answers

E
Esham Younas

LMC stands for least common multiple.


The LMC between a number X and a number Y would be the lowest number that is both present in the timetable of X and timetable of Y.


For example:

Let X=4

Let Y=6


Timetable of 4

4×0=0

4×1=4

4×2=8

4×3=12 <==

4×4=16

4×5=20

4×6=24 <==

4×7=28

4×8=32

4×9=36 <==

4×10=40

4×11=44

4×12=48 <==

4×13=52

4×14=56

4×15=60 <==


Timetable of 6

6×0=0

6×1=6

6×2=12 <==

6×3=18

6×4=24 <==

6×5=30

6×6=36 <==

6×7=42

6×8=48 <==

6×9=54

6×10=60 <==


As it is visible from the timetables:

12,24,36,48 and 60 are all common multiples of 4 and 6.

Now to find the LCM, as the name itself says, we pick the lowest number that is the multiple of both 4 and 6.


12 is the LCM of 4 and 6.

J
Joanna Adamkiewicz

Lowest Common Multiple

J
Julia A

The LCM is 'lowest common multiple' of two or more numbers. It is the first multiple of each number which is common to both... eg if you write out the tables of two numbers 4 & 5.... you would write 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28.... 5, 10, 15, 20 25, 30.... you can see that the first number to appear in both lists is '20', so this is the LCM of 4 & 5!

T
Tayyaba

LCM stands for Least Common Multiple. Multiple means writing the table of that number. So if u need to find the LCM of 2 numbers, write their tables and stop when you get a common answer. That will be the LCM because least means the shortest number that is common in both the numbers

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LCM stands for Least Common Multiple. It is a number which must be smallest common factor to all among the set of numbers

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P
Purimetla Mounitha

Least count Multiple

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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.


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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.

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I
Ibtissem T

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!

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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.

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B
Brinda Paruthi

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'.

A
Ashna Marie Louise

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

A
Amrita Joshi

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 )

T
Thamarai Selvi

Least common factor

A
Ajay Sati

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

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