Answer:
To show 1214 using place value blocks, you would need at least 4 blocks: one thousand block, two hundred blocks, one ten block, and four ones blocks. If you have fewer than 4 blocks, it is not possible to show 1214 using place value blocks.
If you have exactly 4 blocks, you can show 1214 in only 1 way: using 1 thousand block, 2 hundred blocks, 1 ten block, and 4 ones blocks.
If you have exactly 5 blocks, you can show 1214 in 2 ways: using 1 thousand block, 2 hundred blocks, 1 ten block, and 4 ones blocks, or using 2 thousand blocks, 1 hundred block, 2 ten blocks, and 4 ones blocks.
If you have exactly 6 blocks, you can show 1214 in 3 ways: using 1 thousand block, 2 hundred blocks, 1 ten block, and 4 ones blocks, using 2 thousand blocks, 1 hundred block, 2 ten blocks, and 4 ones blocks, or using 1 thousand block, 1 hundred block, 3 ten blocks, and 4 ones blocks.
Therefore, if you have fewer than 10 place value blocks, you can show 1214 in 3 different ways.