7. Marco is making beaded bracelets. Each

bracelet will have the exact same number

of red and blue beads. If red beads come in

packs of 8 and and blue beads come in

packs of 6, what is the least number of

beads of each color Marco can buy to have

equal colors of beads?

One way to find the least common multiple of two numbers is to first list the prime factors of each number.

8 = 2 x 2 x 2

Then multiply each factor the greatest number of times it occurs in either number. If the same factor occurs more than once in both numbers, you multiply the factor the greatest number of times it occurs.

2: three occurrences

3: one occurrence

So, our LCM should be

2 x 2 x 2 x 3 = 24.

So, Marco can buy, at the very least, 24 beads of each color to have equal colors of beads.