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What is LCM

2 years ago

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I

Iftikhar


please explain it briefly

505 Answers

Yusuf K Profile Picture
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LCM stands for "Least Common Multiple." It helps us find the smallest number, that is a multiple of two or more other numbers. Let's use some examples:


Example 1: Let's say you have two numbers, 4 and 6. We want to find the LCM of these two numbers.


First, we list the multiples of each number:

- Multiples of 4: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, ...

- Multiples of 6: 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, ...


Now, we look for the smallest number that appears in both lists. In this case, 12 is the smallest number that is a multiple of both 4 and 6. So, the LCM of 4 and 6 is 12.


Example 2: Let's try three numbers this time: 3, 5, and 7.


First, we list the multiples of each number:

- Multiples of 3: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, ...

- Multiples of 5: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, ...

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


Now, we look for the smallest number that appears in all three lists. In this case, 15 is the smallest number that is a multiple of 3, 5, and 7. So, the LCM of 3, 5, and 7 is 15.


The LCM helps us when we need to do things like adding or subtracting fractions with different denominators or solving problems involving multiple numbers. 

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Rojin J Profile Picture
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LCM stands for “Least Common Multiple”, for example, the LCM, or Least common multiple of 6 and 9 is 18.

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M
Ms Binny Bahanda

This answer refers to the “lowest common multiple”. This is the lowest times table in common with all of the numbers relating to the question.

S
Sharmarke

lowest common multiple

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LCM stands for "Lowest Common Multiple" which means the smallest multiple that can be evenly divided by the given whole numbers (integers).


Here's a basic example:

Let's find the Lowest Common Multiple of 12 and 18:


List the multiples of each number:

  • Multiples of 12: 12, 24, 36, 48, ...
  • Multiples of 18: 18, 36, 54, 72, ...


Find the smallest common multiple in the lists, which is 36 (number in both 12 and 18 times tables).

So, the LCM of 12 and 18 is 36.


I hope this helps!

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LCM stands for "Least Common Multiple" in math. It is a fundamental concept used in arithmetic and number theory. The LCM of two or more numbers is the smallest multiple that is divisible by each of those numbers without leaving a remainder.

Here are the key points to understand about LCM:

  1. Definition: The LCM of two or more integers is the smallest positive integer that is divisible by each of the given integers without any remainder.
  2. Notation: The LCM of two numbers �
  3. a and �
  4. b is often written as LCM(�,�
  5. a,b), or sometimes as LCM(�,�)
  6. LCM(a,b) or LCM[�,�]
  7. LCM[a,b].
  8. Example: Let's find the LCM of 4 and 6. First, list the multiples of each number:
  • Multiples of 4: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, ...
  • Multiples of 6: 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, ...
  1. The smallest number that appears in both lists is 12. So, LCM(4, 6) = 12.
  2. LCM of More than Two Numbers: You can find the LCM of more than two numbers by finding the LCM of pairs of numbers successively. For example, to find the LCM of 4, 6, and 8, you can find LCM(4, 6) first (which is 12), and then find LCM(12, 8), which is 24. So, LCM(4, 6, 8) = 24.
  3. Applications: LCM is used in various mathematical and real-world applications, such as simplifying fractions, finding a common denominator for adding or subtracting fractions, solving problems involving periodic events or cycles, and more.
  4. GCD vs. LCM: LCM is closely related to another important concept called the Greatest Common Divisor (GCD) or Greatest Common Factor (GCF). While LCM deals with finding a common multiple, GCD focuses on finding the largest common factor/divisor of two or more numbers. These two concepts are often used together in various mathematical problems.

In summary, the LCM is a mathematical concept used to find the smallest multiple that is evenly divisible by a set of numbers, making it a valuable tool in various mathematical calculations and problem-solving scenarios.

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R
Ram

Lowest common multiple

J
Jessica Jones

The Lowest Common Multiple of two (or more )numbers is the smallest number that would appear in both times tables.

For Example:

what is the LCM of 3 and 4?

Multiples of 4: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20...

Multiples of 3: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15...

As we can see 12 is the smallest number that appears in both, therefore 12 is the LCM of 3 and 4.

J
Jon Nicholls

Its the ''Lowest Common Multiple'' of two (or possibly more) numbers. So for example, the lowest common multiple of 8 and 12 would be 24, since that is the smallest number which is a multiple of both 8 and 12. You could be asked to find the lowest common multiple of 5 and 20 which would have an answer of 20 (since 20 is the smallest number in both the five and twenty times tables). To give an example of the lowest common multiple with three numbers, we could be asked to find the lowest common multiple of 5, 7, and 15. In this case we need to find the smallest number that is a multiple of all three numbers, which would be 105.


Hope that helps. Incidentally, they won't ask for LCM in an exam, they will write 'lowest common multiple'.

G
Godwin Uchechukwu Wisdom

Lcm simply means lowest common multiples

4/5+1/2 in this case when you have addition or subtraction, you are to find the LCM of the denominators, the lower numbers are called denominators

E
Elizabeth Oladipo

Lowest common multiple (LCM) is the smallest number that is the multiple of two or more numbers

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Lowest common denominator

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Thelma B

Multiples relate to timetables. The multiples of 2 are 2,4,6,8….. The multiples of 4 are 4,8,12,16.


LCM stands for Lowest Common Multiple. In the timetables above you have 4 & 8 in common. However, the lowest number out of the two is 4.

S
Simran Gill

LCM is the lowest common multiple, for example for the numbers 3 and 5 the lowest common multiple is 15. It the smallest number that both numbers can multiply into without a remainder.

M
Megan Bolaney

LCM stands for the Lowest Common Multiple. A multiple of a number is a number in its times tables, for example, 20 is a multiple of 10 because it is 2x10. The LCM of two numbers is the lowest multiple that they both have in common. For example, the LCM of 2 and 5 is 10, because 10 is the lowest number that is a multiple of both 2 and 5.

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