What is the least common multiple (LCM) of the numbers 6 and 8?

Responses

A 1818

B 2424

C 2727

D 3232

1 answer

To find the least common multiple (LCM) of 6 and 8, we can use the prime factorization method.

  1. Prime Factorization:

    • The prime factorization of 6 is \(2^1 \times 3^1\).
    • The prime factorization of 8 is \(2^3\).
  2. Identify the highest power of each prime:

    • For the prime number 2, the highest power is \(2^3\).
    • For the prime number 3, the highest power is \(3^1\).
  3. Multiply these together to find the LCM: \[ \text{LCM} = 2^3 \times 3^1 = 8 \times 3 = 24 \]

Thus, the least common multiple of 6 and 8 is 24.

None of the answer choices provided (A: 1818, B: 2424, C: 2727, D: 3232) are correct. The correct answer is 24, which does not appear among the options.