Philippine Civil Service Review for All

Prepared By: Shawn Michael Organo

Lesson 1 – Numerical (Least Common Multiple)

What is Least Common Multiple or LCM?

LCM is the smallest positive number that is a multiple of two or more numbers.

How to Get the LCM of Two or More Numbers?

There are two common ways on how to get the LCM.
1. Listing Method
2. Prime Factorization

1. LISTING METHOD:
Listing method is the method wherein you list multiples of all the numbers given until you arrive at the first number on the list
that is a multiple of all the numbers given.

Example 1:
What is the LCM of 6 and 8?

List multiples of 6 and 8 until you arrive at the first number that is common to both of them.
Multiples of 6: 6 , 12 , 18 , 24 , 30 , 36 , 42 , 48
Multiples of 8: 8 , 16 , 24 , 32 , 40 , 48 , 56 , 64

We can notice that on the list, 24 and 48 are common multiples of 6 and 8, but since we are looking for the “LEAST” common
multiple, then our answer must be 24 .

Example 2:
What is the LCM of 7 and 11

List multiples of 7 and 11 until you arrive at the first number that is common to both of them.
Multiples of 7: 7 , 14 , 21 , 28 , 35 , 42 , 49 , 56 , 63 , 70 , 77
Multiples of 11: 11 , 22 , 33 , 44 , 55 , 66 , 77

We can notice that 77 is the least common multiple.

NOTE: If the givens are all “PRIME” numbers, no need to list down their multiples to find their LCM. Just “MULTIPLY” them.
11 × 7 = 𝟕𝟕

Example 3:
What is the LCM of 12 and 60?

Multiples of 12: 12 , 24 , 36 , 48 , 60
Multiples of 60: 60 , 120 , 180 , 240

We can notice that 60 is the least common multiple.

NOTE: If one of the given numbers is a multiple of all the other numbers, then that number is also the LCM. In the given, 60 is
a multiple of 12. Thus, 60 is also the LCM. If the given numbers are 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 20, 30, and 60, the LCM is still 60
because 60 is a multiple of all other numbers. If at least one of the given numbers is not a factor of 60, then, we cannot apply
this technique.

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Philippine Civil Service Review for All
Prepared By: Shawn Michael Organo
Lesson 1 – Numerical (Least Common Multiple)

Example 4:
What is the LCM of 8, 9, and 12?
Multiples of 8: 8 , 16 , 24 , 32 , 40 , 48 , 56 , 64 , 72 , 80
Multiples of 9: 9 , 18 , 27 , 36 , 45 , 54 , 63 , 72 , 81 , 90
Multiples of 12: 12 , 24 , 36 , 48 , 60 , 72 , 84 , 96 , 108

We can notice that 72 is the least common multiple.

Example 5:
What is the LCM of 16, 20, and 25?

Multiples of 16: 16 , 32 , 48 , 64 , 80 , 96 , 112 , 128 , 144 , 160 , 176 , 192 , 208 , 224 , 240 , 256 , 272 , 288 , 304 , 320 , 336
352 , 368 , 384 , 400
Multiples of 20: 20 , 40 , 60 , 80 , 100 , 120 , 140 , 160 , 180 , 200 , 220 , 240 , 260 , 280 , 300 , 320 , 340 , 360 , 380 , 400
Multiples of 25: 25 , 50 , 75 , 100 , 125 , 150 , 175 , 200 , 225 , 250 , 275 , 300 , 325 , 350 , 375 , 400

We can notice that 400 is the least common multiple.

2. PRIME FACTORIZATION
Getting the LCM by Prime Factorization.
Step 1: Get their prime factorization.
Step 2: List down all “UNIQUE” prime factors of all the givens.
Step 3: If the prime factor exists more than once, choose the higher exponent.
Step 4: Multiply all you get from Step 2 and Step 3.

Example 1:
What is the LCM of 6 and 8?

Step 1:
Prime Factorization of 6: 2×3 = 2×3
Prime Factorization of 8: 2×2×2 = 23

Step 2: The unique prime factor on this question is “3” because it only existed on prime factorization of 6.
Step 3: We can notice that the prime factor “2” existed more than once. Thus, we will choose the one with the higher exponent,
which is 23.
Step 4: Multiply 3 and 23, which will give us 3 × 8 = 24

Example 2:
What is the LCM of 8, 9, and 12?

Step 1:
Prime Factorization of 8: 2×2×2 = 23
Prime Factorization of 9: 3×3 = 32
Prime Factorization of 12: 2×2×3 = 22 × 3

Skip Step 2 because there is no unique prime factor.

Step 3: Both “2” and “3” existed more than once. We will choose the one with the higher exponent, which are 23 and 32.
Step 4: 23 × 32 = 8 × 9 = 72
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Philippine Civil Service Review for All
Prepared By: Shawn Michael Organo
Lesson 1 – Numerical (Least Common Multiple)

Example 3:
What is the LCM of 16, 20, and 25?

Step 1:
Prime Factorization of 16: 2×2×2×2 = 24
Prime Factorization of 20: 2×2×5 = 22 × 5
Prime Factorization of 25: 5×5 = 52

Skip Step 2 because there is no unique prime factor.

Step 3: Both “2” and “5” existed more than once. We will choose the one with the higher exponent, which are 24 and 52.
Step 4: 24 × 52 = 16 × 25 = 400

Example 4:
What is the LCM of 8, 14, 30, and 33?

Step 1:
Prime Factorization of 8: 2×2×2 = 23
Prime Factorization of 14: 2×7 = 2×7
Prime Factorization of 30: 2×3×5 = 2×3×5
Prime Factorization of 33: 3 × 11 = 3 × 11

Step 2: Unique prime factors are 5, 7, and 11 because they all existed only once.
Step 3: Both “2” and “3” existed more than once. We will choose the one with the higher exponent, which are 2 3 and 3.
Step 4: 23 × 3 × 5 × 7 × 11 = 9,240

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡
You can also use the formula 𝐿𝐶𝑀 = when dealing with exactly 2 givens only.
𝐺𝐶𝐹

Example 1:
What is the LCM of 6 and 8?
Since we know that their product is 48 and their GCF (Greatest Common Factor) is 2, then 48 divided by 2 is 24.

Example 2:
What is the LCM of 16 and 20?
Since we know that their product 320 and their GCF is 4, then 320 divided by 4 is 80.

CONCLUSION:
We can notice that in most cases, prime factorization is better that listing method. For example, if you will use the listing method
to solve example 4 in prime factorization, it will take too much time, and can also lead to some human errors.

EXERCISES: Find the LCM of the following: ANSWERS:

1.) 12, 16, 20 5.) 20, 25, 30 1.) 240 5.) 300
2.) 6, 9 6.) 2, 3, 4 2.) 18 6.) 12
3.) 5, 7, 22 7.) 3, 23 3.) 770 7.) 69
4.) 8, 16, 24 8.) 2, 4, 8, 16, 80, 120 4.) 48 8.) 240
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