Two lights flicker next to each other. One light flashes every d minutes and the other light flashes every 4 minutes. How long will it take for the lights to flicker at the same time?

To find out when the two lights will flicker simultaneously, we need to calculate the least common multiple (LCM) of their flashing intervals. The second light flashes every 4 minutes. Therefore, the time it takes for both lights to flash together will be the LCM of d and 4. If d is a common multiple of 4, they'll flash together every d minutes. Otherwise, you'll need to find the smallest number that both d and 4 can divide into without leaving a remainder, which will give you the answer! For example, if d = 6, their intervals would be 6 minutes and 4 minutes respectively. The LCM is 12 minutes, so they would flicker together every 12 minutes! Fun fact: using LCM can solve many scheduling problems in everyday life, like planning events or coordinating tasks that happen at different intervals.