To find the least common multiple (LCM) of 3 and 16, we can follow these steps:
1. Understand the concept of LCM: The least common multiple of two integers is the smallest positive integer that is divisible by both numbers.
2. List the multiples of each number:
- Multiples of 3: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, 42, 45, 48, ...
- Multiples of 16: 16, 32, 48, 64, 80, ...
3. Identify the common multiples: From the listed multiples:
- Common multiples of 3 and 16: 48, ...
4. Select the smallest common multiple: The smallest common multiple from the previous step is 48.
Therefore, the least common multiple (LCM) of 3 and 16 is 48.
