Question

What is the LCM of 24a^3b and 36ab^2?

Answer 1

You need to list the prime factors of each expression:
\(24a^3b = 2^3 \times 3 \times a^3 \times b\)
\(36ab^2 = 2^2 \times 3^2 \times a \times b^2 \)

Answer 2

For the LCM, you need common factors and not common factors with highest exponent:
\(LCM = 2^3 \times 3^2 \times a^3 \times b^2 \)
\(LCM = 72a^3b^2\)