How do you get the LCM of 4 and 6?

Answer 1

Two methods:

1) List the multiples of each (starting with 1x times, then 2 times, etc), and find the first number that is common to the lists.

2) List the numbers in their prime factorization in power format and multiply together the highest power of each prime that has been used across any of the numbers.

Using method 1:

4: 4, 8, 12, 16, ...

6: 6, 12, 18, ...

lcm(4, 6) = 12.

Using method 2:

4 = 2^2

6 = 2 x 3

The primes used are 2 and 3.

The highest power of 2 is 2^2 (in the factorization of 4)

The highest power of 3 is 3 [which is 3^1] (in the factorization of 6)

→ lcm = 2^2 x 3 = 12