The LCM (Least Common Multiple) of 12 and 18 is 36. There are different methods to find the LCM of two numbers, including prime factorization, division method, and listing multiples. Here are the steps to find the LCM of 12 and 18 using prime factorization:
- Find the prime factorization of 12: 12 = 2 x 2 x 3
- Find the prime factorization of 18: 18 = 2 x 3 x 3
- Identify the highest power of each prime factor: 2^2 x 3^2
- Multiply the prime factors raised to their respective highest power: 2^2 x 3^2 = 36
- Therefore, the LCM of 12 and 18 is 36.
Alternatively, you can use the division method or listing multiples to find the LCM of 12 and 18, but the result will be the same: 36.