The Lcm Of 16 And 3

LCM of 3 and 16 How to Find LCM of 3, 16? from www.cuemath.com

What is LCM?

LCM stands for Least Common Multiple. It is the smallest number that is a multiple of two or more given numbers. When we find the LCM of two numbers, it is a number that both the given numbers can be divided by.

How to find the LCM of 16 and 3

To find the LCM of 16 and 3, we need to follow some steps.

Step 1: Prime Factorization

First, we need to find the prime factors of both 16 and 3. Prime factors of 16: 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 Prime factors of 3: 3

Step 2: Write the factors in a table

We need to write these prime factors in a table with their powers.

Number	Prime Factors	Powers
16	2	4
		4
3	3	1

Step 3: Choose the highest powers

Next, we need to choose the highest powers for each prime factor. In this case, the highest power of 2 is 4, and the highest power of 3 is 1.

Step 4: Multiply the factors

Finally, we need to multiply the prime factors with their highest powers. LCM of 16 and 3 = 2⁴ x 3¹ = 48 Therefore, the LCM of 16 and 3 is 48.

Why is LCM important?

LCM is important in many areas of mathematics, especially in fractions. When we add or subtract fractions with different denominators, we need to find the LCM to make the denominators the same. For example, if we want to add 1/4 and 1/5, we need to find the LCM of 4 and 5, which is 20. Then, we can convert 1/4 and 1/5 into fractions with the same denominator of 20. 1/4 = 5/20 1/5 = 4/20 Now, we can add the fractions: 1/4 + 1/5 = 5/20 + 4/20 = 9/20

Conclusion

In conclusion, the LCM of 16 and 3 is 48. LCM is an important concept in mathematics and is used in many areas, including fractions. By following the steps mentioned above, we can find the LCM of any two given numbers.