Write the balanced chemical equation
Convert each given reactant amount to moles
Use the mole ratio from the balanced equation to calculate the required moles of one reactant for the given moles of the other
Compare available moles to required moles
The reactant with insufficient moles is the limiting reactant
If calculating by products: compute moles of each reactant’s possible product using stoichiometric ratios, then choose the smaller resulting product amount as the limiting reactant’s basis
Confirm by checking that the other reactant has leftover moles after the limiting reactant is fully consumed