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Least Common Multiple
Section 2.6
Objectives
• Find the least common multiple (LCM) of
two or more whole numbers using the
Individual Prime-Factoring Method
• Find the least common multiple (LCM) of
two or more whole numbers using the
Group Prime-Factoring Method
Objective 1
Find the least common multiple
(LCM) of two or more whole
numbers using the Individual
Prime-Factoring Method
Objective 1
• Four ways to define LCM
– Smallest natural number that is a multiple of each
whole number
– Smallest natural number has each whole number as a
factor
– Smallest natural number has each whole number as a
divisor
– Smallest natural number that each whole number will
divide evenly
• Could list the multiples of each number and
select the smallest that is common to all
Objective 1
• To write the LCM of two or more whole
numbers using the Individual PriceFactoring Method
– Find the prime factorization of each number in
exponent form
– Find the highest power of each prime factor
Objective 2:
Find the least common multiple
(LCM) of two or more whole
numbers using the Group PrimeFactoring Method
Objective 2
• Divide at least two of the numbers by any
prime number, Continue dividing the
remaining quotients in the same manner
until no two quotients have a common
divisor
• Write the product of the divisors and the
remaining quotients