LCM( 256, 124 ) = 7936
Step 1: Write down factorisation of each number:
256 = 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2
124 = 2 · 2 · 31
Step 2 : Match primes vertically:
256 | = | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | ||
124 | = | 2 | · | 2 | · | 31 |
Step 3 : Bring down numbers in each column and multiply to get LCM:
256 | = | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | ||||
124 | = | 2 | · | 2 | · | 31 | ||||||||||||||
LCM | = | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | 31 | = | 7936 |
This solution can be visualized using a Venn diagram.
The LCM is equal to the product of all the numbers on the diagram.