user
A shop sells chocolates in boxes of 12, 18, and 24 pieces. What is the smallest number of chocolates you could buy if you want to have the same number of chocolates from each type of box? Explain your thought process.
assistant
Here's an easy way to understand this:

1. We are looking for the least common multiple (LCM) of 12, 18, and 24.
2. The LCM of two numbers is the smallest number that both numbers divide evenly into.
3. The prime factors of 12 are 2, 2, and 3; of 18 are 2, 3, and 3; and of 24 are 2, 2, 2, and 3.
4. The LCM is found by multiplying together the highest powers of all primes that appear in any of the factorizations.
5. Hence, the LCM of 12, 18, and 24 is 2*2*2*3*3 = 72.

Therefore, the smallest number of chocolates you could buy if you want to have the same number of chocolates from each type of box is 72.