LCM of 12 and 24
The least common multiple of 12 and 24 is 24 — the smallest positive number into which both 12 and 24 divide evenly. This page lists the first twelve common multiples of the pair, which are exactly the multiples of 24.
24 is already a multiple of 12 — 12 divides it exactly (12 × 2 = 24) — so the smaller number never needs to climb past it: the LCM is 24 itself, and every multiple of 24 is automatically a common multiple. The two skip-count lines meet at once and re-meet every 24 steps: 24, 48, 72, and onward. This is why the LCM collapses to the larger number whenever the smaller divides the larger; the GCF here is 12, and the pairing identity LCM × GCF = a × b confirms it: 24 × 12 = 288.
| # | Common multiple |
|---|---|
| 1 | 24 |
| 2 | 48 |
| 3 | 72 |
| 4 | 96 |
| 5 | 120 |
| 6 | 144 |
| 7 | 168 |
| 8 | 192 |
| 9 | 216 |
| 10 | 240 |
| 11 | 264 |
| 12 | 288 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the LCM of 12 and 24?
24. Since 24 is already a multiple of 12 (12 × 2 = 24), the two multiple lists meet right there — 24 is the first number both divide evenly. The formula agrees: (12 × 24) ÷ GCF(12, 24) = 288 ÷ 12 = 24.
How do you find the LCM of 12 and 24?
Check divisibility first: when the smaller number divides the larger, the larger number is the LCM. Here 12 divides 24 (12 × 2 = 24), so nothing else is needed. Prime factorizations confirm it: 12 = 2² × 3 and 24 = 2³ × 3, and carrying every prime at its highest power gives 2³ × 3 = 24.
What is the GCF of 12 and 24?
12. The largest number dividing both. The identity GCF × LCM = 12 × 24 checks it against this page: 12 × 24 = 288. The same GCF reduces fractions built on 12 and 24, while 24 is the common denominator that needs no reducing.
What are the common multiples of 12 and 24?
Exactly the multiples of the LCM: 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, and onward without end. The table above lists the first twelve; every later one is another 24 steps out. These are the numbers into which both 12 and 24 divide evenly — which is why the LCM itself is the natural common denominator in fraction work.