Which is a way to use prime factorization to find the least common multiple of 8 and 6?

To find the least common multiple (LCM) of 8 and 6 using prime factorization, we first express each number in terms of its prime factors:

– 6 ➔ 2 × 3

– 8 ➔ 2 × 2 × 2

To find the LCM, we take the highest power of each prime factor present in the factorizations:

– The highest power of 2 is (2^3) (from 8).

– The highest power of 3 is (3^1) (from 6).

Now, we multiply these together:

(LCM = 2^3 × 3^1 = 8 × 3 = 24).

So the correct answer is:

LCM = 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 = 24.