Prime Factorization Method to Find LCM of 4, 36, and 52
Step 1: Prime Factorization
To find the least common multiple (LCM) of 4, 36, and 52, we will start by finding the prime factorization of each number.
Prime factorization of 4:4 can be written as 2 * 2, where 2 is a prime number.
Prime factorization of 36:36 can be written as 2 * 2 * 3 * 3, where 2 and 3 are prime numbers.
Prime factorization of 52:52 can be written as 2 * 2 * 13, where 2 and 13 are prime numbers.
Step 2: Identify the Common and Unique Prime Factors
Now, let's identify the common and unique prime factors among the three numbers.
The common prime factors are 2 and 2.
The unique prime factors are 3 and 13.
Step 3: Determine the Highest Power of Each Prime Factor
To find the LCM, we need to determine the highest power of each prime factor.
The highest power of 2 is 2 * 2 = 4.
The highest power of 3 is 3.
The highest power of 13 is 13.
Step 4: Calculate the LCM
To calculate the LCM, we multiply the highest powers of the prime factors.
LCM = 2 * 2 * 3 * 13
LCM = 156Final Answer
Therefore, the LCM of 4, 36, and 52 is 156.