Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, and 2013. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Determining the Least Common Multiple.
Remember your junior-high math classes? The teacher would write three or four numbers on the chalkboard and ask you to determine what larger number each of the numbers on the board could be a factor of. For instance, if the numbers were 2, 3,and 4, then the are all factors of the number 12. Thus, 12 is the least common multiple of those three numbers.
Things got really difficult when the teacher threw up six, seven, or ten numbers. Yikes! Fortunately, Excel makes calculating the least common multiple rather easy. All you need to do is put the numbers in a range of cells, and then use a formula like this:
=LCM(C20:C23)
In just a jiffy Excel returns a value that, sure enough, would have made that math teacher proud.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (5833) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, and 2013. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Determining the Least Common Multiple.
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2016-11-16 09:00:04
Shandor
Functions are the main key to success not only in Excel, but all computer applications. Until IBM Watson enables us to ask like the Star Trek crew "Computer, tell me what..." we could use more powerful formula builders to minimize the need for burdensome coding and macros. And regular expressions could be put to work if such builders were created, emphasizing common sense and user experience. Just sayin'!
2016-11-16 08:42:51
Michael (Micky) Avidan
@Tony N
What's interesting is the fact that every help reference to that function states (quote):
"If value is not an integer, it is truncated".
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Michael (Micky) Avidan
“Microsoft® Answers" - Wiki author & Forums Moderator
“Microsoft®” MVP – Excel (2009-2017)
ISRAEL
2016-11-16 07:05:42
Tony N
Interestingly if you put a non integer number in the range, rather than give an error the LCM function ignores anything to the right of the decimal point
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, and 2013. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: 
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