Determining the Least Common Multiple

Summary: A least common multiple is the number into which a series of numbers can be divided evenly. Excel provides a worksheet function, LCM, which allows you to easily determine the least common multiple of any series you designate. (This tip works with Microsoft Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, and Excel 2003.)

Remember your junior-high math classes? The teacher would write three or four numbers on the chalkboard and ask you to determine what larger number each of the numbers on the board could be a factor of. For instance, if the numbers were 2, 3,and 4, then the are all factors of the number 12. Thus, 12 is the least common multiple of those three numbers.

Things got really difficult when the teacher threw up six, seven, or ten numbers. Yikes! Fortunately, Excel makes calculating the least common multiple rather easy. All you need to do is put the numbers in a range of cells, and then use a formula like this:

=LCM(C20:C23)

In just a jiffy Excel returns a value that, sure enough, would have made that math teacher proud.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2306) applies to Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003

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Determining the Least Common Multiple