1.6 Determine the LCM of 180

To determine the least common multiple (LCM) of 180, it helps to factor the number into its prime components. The prime factorization of 180 is 2² × 3² × 5. Understanding this helps when you need to find the LCM of multiple numbers, as you take the highest power of each prime that appears in any of the factorizations. For example, let’s say you also want to find the LCM of 180 and 45. The prime factorization of 45 is 3² × 5. To find the LCM, combine the highest powers: LCM = 2² × 3² × 5 = 180. This shows how the LCM can help when working with common multiples in various scenarios, including scheduling events or finding equivalent fractions!