What is the least common multiple (LCM) of 3 and 4?

To determine the least common multiple (LCM) of two numbers, we find the smallest multiple that both numbers share. In this case, we are looking for the LCM of 3 and 4.

First, we can list the multiples of each number:

• The multiples of 3 are: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, ...

• The multiples of 4 are: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, ...

Next, we identify the smallest multiple that appears in both lists. From the lists, we can see that the number 12 is present in both. Therefore, 12 is the smallest number that both 3 and 4 can divide into evenly, confirming that it is indeed the least common multiple.

Additionally, we can also approach this problem using the formula for the LCM, which states that the LCM of two numbers can also be calculated using their greatest common divisor (GCD). For 3 and 4, since they have no common factors (the GCD is 1), the LCM can be calculated as:

LCM = (3 * 4) / GCD(3, 4) = 12 /