5-3 Least Common Multiples (LCM)

 

Students should be able to:

Explain how to find the least common multiple for a pair of numbers.

Produce the least common multiple for two or more numbers.

 

Least Common Multiple

 

Multiple:            a multiple of a number is the product of the number and a whole number.

           

6:            6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, 48, 54, 60, …

            8:            8, 16, 24, 32, 40, 48, 56, 64, 72, …

 

What is the next number that should be bold on these lists?

 

Common Multiples:            numbers that appear on both lists are common multiples.

 

Least Common Multiple (LCM):            the LCM of two numbers is the smallest common multiple of the numbers.