The least common multiple of 6 and 8 is?

The least common multiple of 6 and 8 is?

• A. 12
• B. 24
• C. 18
• D. 48

Answer: (B)

Finding the least common multiple means finding the smallest number that is a multiple of both numbers. To get it, look at the prime factors: 6 is 2×3 and 8 is 2^3. Take the highest power of each prime that appears, which gives 2^3 × 3 = 8 × 3 = 24. So the smallest number that is a multiple of both 6 and 8 is 24. You can also spot it by listing multiples: 6, 12, 18, 24 and 8, 16, 24 share the first common value at 24. Checking confirms: 24 ÷ 6 = 4 and 24 ÷ 8 = 3. Other options don’t work because they aren’t multiples of both numbers or are larger than the smallest common multiple.

Finding the least common multiple means finding the smallest number that is a multiple of both numbers. To get it, look at the prime factors: 6 is 2×3 and 8 is 2^3. Take the highest power of each prime that appears, which gives 2^3 × 3 = 8 × 3 = 24. So the smallest number that is a multiple of both 6 and 8 is 24. You can also spot it by listing multiples: 6, 12, 18, 24 and 8, 16, 24 share the first common value at 24. Checking confirms: 24 ÷ 6 = 4 and 24 ÷ 8 = 3. Other options don’t work because they aren’t multiples of both numbers or are larger than the smallest common multiple.