Question

How do you find the LCM of `15x^2y^3` and #18xy^2?

Answer 1

`90 * x^2 * y^3`

Explanation:

Multiply the highest powers of x and y (2 & 3 in this case; `x^2` in `15x^2y^3` is greater than `x` in `18 * x * y^2`, so consider `x^2`; Similarly `y^3` in `15 * x^2 * y^3` is greater than `y^2` in `18 * x * y^2`, so consider `y^3`. So the variable part is `x^2 * y^3`. Coming to constant part, to find out the LCM between 15 & 18, divide both of them by 3, which is a factor of both
So {15, 18} = 3 {5, 6}. There are no common factors between 5 & 6. So the constant part of the LCM is 3 * 5 * 6 = 90
The final answer is `90 * x^2 * y^3`