LCM( 18, 32, 4 ) = 288
Step 1: Write down factorisation of each number:
18 = 2 · 3 · 3
32 = 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2
4 = 2 · 2
Step 2 : Match primes vertically:
18 | = | 2 | · | 3 | · | 3 | ||||||||
32 | = | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | ||||
4 | = | 2 | · | 2 |
Step 3 : Bring down numbers in each column and multiply to get LCM:
18 | = | 2 | · | 3 | · | 3 | ||||||||||
32 | = | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | ||||||
4 | = | 2 | · | 2 | ||||||||||||
LCM | = | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 3 | · | 3 | = | 288 |
This solution can be visualized using a Venn diagram.
The LCM is equal to the product of all the numbers on the diagram.