The least common multiple (LCM) of two numbers is the smallest multiple that is evenly divisible by both numbers. To find the LCM of 3 and 4, we can start by listing the multiples of each number.
Multiples of 3: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, …
Multiples of 4: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, …
Now, looking at the lists, we can see that the smallest multiple that appears in both lists is 12. Therefore, the least common multiple of 3 and 4 is 12.
In summary, the LCM of 3 and 4 is 12 because it is the first multiple that both numbers share, making it the smallest common multiple in this case.