🦘 Math Kangaroo Grade All Felix 1-2 Ecolier 3-4 Benjamin 5-6 Kadett 7-8 Junior 9-10 Student 11-12 ⇄ switch contest
2012 Math Kangaroo

Problem 5

Problem 5 · 2012 Math Kangaroo Easy
Number Theory digit-sum

The digit sum of a six-digit number is 5. How big is the product of the digits?

Show answer
Answer: A — 0
Show hints
Hint 1 of 2
A six-digit number has six digits, but they only add up to 5.
Still stuck? Show hint 2 →
Hint 2 of 2
Six positive digits would already add to at least 6 — so what must at least one digit be?
Show solution
Approach: forced zero digit
  1. The number has six digits whose sum is only 5.
  2. If every digit were at least 1 the sum would be at least 6, which is too big.
  3. So at least one digit must be 0, and a product with a factor of 0 is 0.
Mark: · log in to save