Question

Use the numbers in the box below to write a multiplication expression for which the product is less than both of its factors. Write your answer in the blanks. 7 1 5 6 4 4 7 8 3 9 3 Х

Answer 1

The only case when the result of a product of two factors is less than both of the factors is when both factors are less than 1.

Then, if we pick as factors the numbers 1/5 and 4/9 for example, we will get:

`\begin{gathered} (1)/(5)\cdot(4)/(9)=(4)/(45) \\ (4)/(45)<(1)/(5)<(4)/(9) \end{gathered}`

The product, 4/45, is less than the factors.

Other possible factor we could have chosen is 7/8 because it is smaller than 1.

Answer: for a product that is less than the factors we can choose the factors 1/5, 4/9 or 7/8.