If the product of A,B,C is 15834, what is A+B+C? - Math Central

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Question from rachel, a student:

if the product of A,B,C is 15834, what is A+B+C?

Hi Rachel,

There is certainly more than one answer to this question. For example

1 1 15834 = 15834 and 1 + 1 + 15834 = 15836
1 2 7917 = 15834 and 1 + 2 + 7917 = 7920

I suggest that you find the prime factorization of 15836 and then using the prime factors list all the ways you can write 15834 as a product of integer factors, and in each case calculate the sum of the factors.

Penny

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