Answer
$48$
Work Step by Step
Factor each number completely to obtain:
$16= 2\cdot 2\cdot 2 \cdot 2
\\12 = 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 3$
The different factors that appear in the prime factorization of the given numbers are 2 and 3.
The maximum number of times that each unique factor appears in the factorization is:
For 2: four times
For 3: once
The least common multiple will have four 2s and one 3.
Thus, the least common multiple of the given numbers is:
$=2 \cdot 2\cdot 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 3
\\= 48$
