jmc

Question

If the numbers 4, 5 and 6 are each used exactly once to replace the letters in the expression A ( B - C ), what is the least possible result?

Accepted Answer

Since A must be positive, the expression is smallest when B-C is as negative as possible, which occurs when B = 4, C = 6. Then A = 5, and A(B-C) = 5(4-6) = 5(-2) = -10.