LCM_ADD Function (OpenOffice Calc)
Apache OpenOffice LCM_ADD examples for common multiples and repeating schedules, with whole-number input validation and zero-result rules.
Verification status: Official release source and independently calculated examples for LCM_ADD were reviewed. No new Apache OpenOffice Calc application execution is claimed for this guide; the stated version and example limits still apply. How formula examples are checked
Quick answer: =LCM_ADD(16;32;24) returns 96. It finds the smallest positive common multiple of positive whole-number inputs. Use it when maintaining a workbook that specifically needs this Analysis Add-In compatibility function.
Availability and version history
- Introduced: First release not established; this name is documented in the OpenOffice.org 3.3 function appendix.
- Supported in: Apache OpenOffice 4.1.16. No final supported release has been established.
- Scope: Desktop Calc. An installed Analysis Add-In is required.
- Checked: October 14, 2026. Pinned source and independent examples checked. Apache OpenOffice was not run; LibreOffice import tests are supplementary only.
What LCM_ADD calculates
A common multiple can be divided by every input without a remainder. For positive inputs, the least one is the first positive quantity at which all the cycles or pack sizes fit exactly. It is not normally their sum, and it can be much larger than any individual input.
The function reference documents this spelling. The suffix distinguishes the Analysis Add-In entry from the unsuffixed LCM function. Keep that distinction when auditing an older workbook rather than changing names solely because their descriptions sound similar.
Syntax and inputs
=LCM_ADD(Number1 [; Number2 [; …]])
Provide at least one numeric value or a reference containing numeric values. Additional values and ranges are optional. For example, place 16, 32 and 24 in B2:B4, then use =LCM_ADD(B2:B4) to obtain 96. Semicolons separate arguments in these Calc examples; a colon joins the endpoints of a range.
Use nonnegative whole numbers for ordinary counting applications. A zero has a special role: if any input is zero, the result is zero. This is an implementation convention; it does not mean a real-world cycle with period zero is meaningful. Negative inputs are rejected by the release input guard.
The pinned OpenOffice add-in combines stored numeric values without the explicit flooring used by some newer implementations. The documented contract is integers. Reject fractions or normalize them deliberately instead of importing a rounding rule from another spreadsheet program.
Reproducible examples
Enter each formula in a separate cell formatted as a number. These values follow independent integer arithmetic and the source-backed zero rules.
| Formula | Expected result |
|---|---|
=LCM_ADD(16;32;24) |
96 |
=LCM_ADD(9;12;6) |
36 |
=LCM_ADD(3;5) |
15 |
=LCM_ADD(0;12) |
0 |
=LCM_ADD(0;0) |
0 |
=LCM_ADD(18;24) |
72 |
=LCM_ADD(48;180) |
720 |
=LCM_ADD(4;6) |
12 |
=LCM_ADD(6;15;20) |
60 |
=LCM_ADD(7;11) |
77 |
=LCM_ADD(42) |
42 |
=LCM_ADD(72;108;180) |
1080 |
Practical example: synchronized maintenance intervals
Two machines need a scheduled check every 4 and 6 hours, starting together at hour zero. =LCM_ADD(4;6) returns 12 hours, the next positive time when both are due. Store the periods in B2:B3 and calculate =LCM_ADD(B2:B3) in E2. =E2/B2 and =E2/B3 give 3 and 2 intervals respectively.
The starting alignment is essential. If one machine’s schedule starts later, taking the LCM of the periods alone does not solve the offset problem. Both periods must also use the same unit; convert minutes to hours or hours to minutes before combining them.
Advanced example: common pack quantity
Components are available in packs of 6, 15 and 20. =LCM_ADD(6;15;20) returns 60, allowing whole pack counts of 10, 4 and 3. Store the pack sizes in B2:B4, calculate the common quantity once in E2, then divide E2 by each pack size. Multiplying each result back by its pack size should recover 60.
For two positive integers a and b, the identity LCM(a,b)×GCD(a,b)=a×b gives an independent consistency check. For 18 and 24, the LCM is 72 and the GCD is 6: both products are 432. This identity does not remove floating-point limits; large products can lose integer precision or overflow.
Errors, compatibility and verification
Numeric-looking text is not a reliable substitute for numeric cells. First verify the stored types and range boundaries. Test empty cells, Booleans and errors in the installed application if those inputs are part of your actual workbook; the examples deliberately use explicit numeric values.
A large result can exceed exact integer precision even when each individual input is representable. Keep counts within the reliable range of the spreadsheet’s numeric representation and use a number format that reveals the result rather than rounding away a discrepancy. Formatting a decimal to show no places does not make the stored value an integer.
Current LibreOffice uses LCM_EXCEL2003 for the corresponding compatibility function. That name change is not a reason to type the LibreOffice spelling into Apache OpenOffice. Use the documented name for the application that will recalculate the workbook.
The release evaluator and input guard support the calculation and restrictions above. The numerical examples are independently checked; the availability section states the actual execution scope.