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:

$\begin{gathered} \frac{1}{5}\cdot\frac{4}{9}=\frac{4}{45} \\ \frac{4}{45}<\frac{1}{5}<\frac{4}{9} \end{gathered}$

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.