Answer: 24
Step-by-step explanation: To find the least common multiple or <em>lcm</em> of 3 and 8, begin by listing multiples of each number.
<em><u>Multiples of 3</u></em>
1 x 3 = 3
2 x 3 = 6
3 x 3 = 9
4 x 3 = 12
5 x 3 = 15
6 x 3 = 18
7 x 3 = 21
8 x 3 = 24
Notice that we skipped 0 x 3 in our list of multiples. That's because 0 x 3 is 0 and our least common multiple can't be 0.
When listing the multiples of 8, it's a good idea to keep an eye on the list of multiples for 3 so that we will notice when we find a least common multiple.
<u><em>Multiples of 8</em></u>
1 x 8 = 8 ← not a multiple of 3
2 x 8 = 16 ← not a multiple of 3
3 x 8 = 24 ← multiple of 3
We can stop here because all other multiples that we find will be greater than 24. So the least common multiple or <em>lcm</em> of 3 and 8 is 24.
