Divide and Conquer

Find the largest possible value of the ratio of a three-digit number to the sum of its digits:

a b c a + b + c \frac{\overline{abc}}{a+b+c}


The answer is 100.

This section requires Javascript.
You are seeing this because something didn't load right. We suggest you, (a) try refreshing the page, (b) enabling javascript if it is disabled on your browser and, finally, (c) loading the non-javascript version of this page . We're sorry about the hassle.

5 solutions

Ilya Andreev
Jan 30, 2015

Let N = a b c N=\overline{abc} , where a , b , c a,b,c are the digits. It's pretty obvious that for round numbers N = 100 , 200 , . . . , 900 N=100, 200, . . . , 900 we have N a + b + c = 100 \frac{N}{a+b+c}=100 . Moving on, when N N is not "round", then b + c > 0 b+c > 0 and a + b + c a + 1 a+b+c \geq a+1 . And since the leading digit of N N is a a , then N < ( a + 1 ) 100 N<(a+1)\cdot 100 , and N a + b + c < ( a + 1 ) 100 a + 1 = 100 \frac{N}{a+b+c}<\frac{(a+1)\cdot 100}{a+1}=100

Thus, the largest possible value for that ratio is 100 \boxed{100} , which is only obtained for round numbers.

汶汶 樂
Feb 2, 2015

There are only 27 27 sums of digits or cases of denominators. And each sum there is a maximum a b c \overline {abc} , therefore, a maximum ratio. The maximum ratios are tabulated below:

a + b + c m a x ( a b c ) m a x ( a b c ) a + b + c 1 100 100.0 2 200 100.0 3 300 100.0 4 400 100.0 5 500 100.0 6 600 100.0 7 700 100.0 8 800 100.0 9 900 100.0 10 910 91.0 11 920 83.6 12 930 77.5 13 940 72.3 14 950 67.9 15 960 64.0 16 970 60.6 17 980 57.6 18 990 55.0 19 991 52.2 20 992 49.6 21 993 47.3 22 994 45.2 23 995 43.3 24 996 41.5 25 997 39.9 26 998 38.4 27 999 37.0 \begin{matrix} a+b+c & max (\overline{abc}) & \frac {max (\overline{abc})}{a+b+c} \\ \hline \\ 1 & 100 & 100.0 \\ 2 & 200 & 100.0 \\ 3 & 300 & 100.0 \\ 4 & 400 & 100.0 \\ 5 & 500 & 100.0 \\ 6 & 600 & 100.0 \\ 7 & 700 & 100.0 \\ 8 & 800 & 100.0 \\ 9 & 900 & 100.0 \\ 10 & 910 & 91.0 \\ 11 & 920 & 83.6 \\ 12 & 930 & 77.5 \\ 13 & 940 & 72.3 \\ 14 & 950 & 67.9 \\ 15 & 960 & 64.0 \\ 16 & 970 & 60.6 \\ 17 & 980 & 57.6 \\ 18 & 990 & 55.0 \\ 19 & 991 & 52.2 \\ 20 & 992 & 49.6 \\ 21 & 993 & 47.3 \\ 22 & 994 & 45.2 \\ 23 & 995 & 43.3 \\ 24 & 996 & 41.5 \\ 25 & 997 & 39.9 \\ 26 & 998 & 38.4 \\ 27 & 999 & 37.0 \end{matrix}

Therefore, the maximum ratio is 100 \boxed{100} .

Arunan Sri
Mar 12, 2015

Just find out the lowest sum possible made with integers: 0 to 9 and which 3 integers this is possible for; in this case it would be 0 + 0 + 1; thus the number can't be 001 but rather 100. Thus 100/ 1 = 100.

Lu Chee Ket
Feb 3, 2015

Computing tells that {100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900} gives a maximum = n x 100/ (n + 0 + 0) = 100

0 pending reports

×

Problem Loading...

Note Loading...

Set Loading...