Questions: Find the least common multiple (LCM) of 12 and 9.
Transcript text: Find the least common multiple (LCM) of 12 and 9.
Solution
Solution Steps
To find the least common multiple (LCM) of two numbers, we can use the relationship between the greatest common divisor (GCD) and LCM. The formula is:
\[ \text{LCM}(a, b) = \frac{|a \times b|}{\text{GCD}(a, b)} \]
We will use Python's math module to calculate the GCD and then use the formula to find the LCM.
Step 1: Identify the Given Numbers
We are given two numbers: \(12\) and \(9\).
Step 2: Calculate the Greatest Common Divisor (GCD)
To find the least common multiple (LCM), we first need to calculate the greatest common divisor (GCD) of the two numbers. The GCD of \(12\) and \(9\) is \(3\).
Step 3: Use the LCM Formula
The formula to find the LCM using the GCD is:
\[
\text{LCM}(a, b) = \frac{|a \times b|}{\text{GCD}(a, b)}
\]
Substituting the values, we get:
\[
\text{LCM}(12, 9) = \frac{|12 \times 9|}{3} = \frac{108}{3} = 36
\]
Final Answer
The least common multiple of \(12\) and \(9\) is \(\boxed{36}\).