Find the LCM 48

$48$

Step 1

The LCM is the smallest positive number that all of the numbers divide into evenly.

1. List the prime factors of each number.

2. Multiply each factor the greatest number of times it occurs in either number.

Step 2

The prime factors for $48$ are $2 \cdot 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 3$ .

$48$ has factors of $2$ and $24$ .

$2 \cdot 24$

$24$ has factors of $2$ and $12$ .

$2 \cdot 2 \cdot 12$

$12$ has factors of $2$ and $6$ .

$2 \cdot 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 6$

$6$ has factors of $2$ and $3$ .

$2 \cdot 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 3$

Step 3

Multiply $2 \cdot 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 3$ .

Multiply $2$ by $2$ .

$4 \cdot 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 3$

Multiply $4$ by $2$ .

$8 \cdot 2 \cdot 3$

Multiply $8$ by $2$ .

$16 \cdot 3$

Multiply $16$ by $3$ .

$48$