LCM( 144, 72, 26 ) = 1872
Step 1: Write down factorisation of each number:
144 = 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 3 · 3
72 = 2 · 2 · 2 · 3 · 3
26 = 2 · 13
Step 2 : Match primes vertically:
144 | = | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 3 | · | 3 | ||
72 | = | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 3 | · | 3 | ||||
26 | = | 2 | · | 13 |
Step 3 : Bring down numbers in each column and multiply to get LCM:
144 | = | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 3 | · | 3 | ||||
72 | = | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 3 | · | 3 | ||||||
26 | = | 2 | · | 13 | ||||||||||||
LCM | = | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 3 | · | 3 | · | 13 | = | 1872 |
This solution can be visualized using a Venn diagram.
The LCM is equal to the product of all the numbers on the diagram.