Example: Find the LCM of 12 and 30.
Write the multiples of 12: 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, ...
Write the multiples of 30: 30, 60, 90, ...
The first number you find which is in both lists is the LCM: 60.
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They are the common multiples of the two numbers.
Common denominators. These are called "common multiples". For example, multiples of 4 are: 4,8,12,16,20,24 ... . Multiples of 6 are: 6,12,18,24,30,36 ... . The numbers on both lists are the common multiples and they include: 12,24,36, ... . Specifically, the smallest number in any such list of common multiples (12 in this example) is known as the Least (or Lowest) Common Multiple or LCM.
Multiples of 983 include 983, 1966, 2949 and 3932. For them to be common, they need to be compared to another set of multiples.
All numbers have multiples. Some numbers have some of the same multiples as other numbers. These are known as common multiples. On the list of common multiples, one number is the smallest. This is the least common multiple.
Multiples of 10 include any number ending in zero. For them to be common, they need to be compared to another set of multiples.