Product = = Sum

Find the largest 3-digit number whose sum of digits is equal to the product of it's digits.


The answer is 321.

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1 solution

Sharky Kesa
Jan 23, 2016

We want to find the largest 3 digit number a b c \overline{abc} such that the product of its digits is equal to the sum of its digits. WLOG, a b c a \geq b \geq c . a + b + c = a b c a+b+c=abc a b c 3 a \Rightarrow abc \leq 3a b c 3 \Rightarrow bc \leq 3 c = 1 , 0 \Rightarrow c=1,0

Case 1: c = 1 c=1 a + b + 1 = a b \Rightarrow a+b+1=ab ( a 1 ) ( b 1 ) = 2 \Rightarrow (a-1)(b-1)=2 ( a , b ) = ( 3 , 2 ) \Rightarrow (a,b)=(3,2) Thus, ( 3 , 2 , 1 ) (3,2,1) is a solution for ( a , b , c ) (a,b,c)

Case 2: c = 0 c=0 a + b = 0 \Rightarrow a+b=0 ( a , b ) = ( 0 , 0 ) \Rightarrow (a,b)=(0,0)

Thus, ( 0 , 0 , 0 ) (0,0,0) is also a solution.

We can remove the second solution since it doesn't have a permutation which makes a 3 digit number. The arrest value of the permutations made by the first solution is 321. Therefore, the answer is 321.

Interesting thought process. My mind did not go down that road. Once I saw your solution, I remembered I had seen something similar in maths class a few years back. Nice solution! :)

Drex Beckman - 5 years, 4 months ago

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