What is the LCM of ab and bc?

Answer 1

The least common multiple (LCM) of two numbers is the smallest number that is a multiple of both numbers. In this case, the LCM of ab and bc would be the product of the two numbers divided by their greatest common divisor (GCD), which is b. Therefore, the LCM of ab and bc is abc.

Answer 2

It depends on whether or not a and c are coprime (have no factors in common).

Suppose x is the greatest common factor of a and c, where x = 1 if a and c are coprime.

ie GCF(a, c) = x

then let a = x*m and c = x*n where m and n are coprime

then LCM(ab, bc) = LCM(x*m*b, x*n*b) = x*m*n*b