Three Digits: Ordering by Words

We are going to make the largest and smallest 3-digit numbers from three given digits.

 

Let's pretend we can only use the digits 5, 4 and 8.

 

To make the largest number:

 

Start with the largest digit in the Hundreds column.

This is 8 (eight).

 

Then comes the next largest digit in the Tens column.

This is 5 (five).

 

Lastly comes the smallest of the three digits in the Ones column. 

This is 4 (four).

 

The largest number is  854.

 

We read this as eight hundred and fifty-four.

 

 

 

To make the smallest number:

 

Start with the smallest digit in the Hundreds column.

This is 4 (four).

 

Then comes the next largest digit in the Tens column.

This is 5 (five).

 

Lastly comes the largest of the three digits in the Units or Ones column.

This is 8 (eight).

 

The smallest number is  458.

 

We read this as four hundred and fifty-eight.

 

Example

Use each of the digits:

686

to form the smallest and largest 3-digit numbers that you can make.

Answer

6 is the smallest digit.

6 is the "middle" digit even though it is the same as the smallest here.

8 is the largest digit.

 

The smallest number is 668.

 

We read this as six hundred and sixty-eight.

 

Largest number is 866.

 

We read this as eight hundred and sixty-six.