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I would like to share the approach that might work.

As we know the contribution of hundred, tens and units digits are in the proportion of 100, 10 , 1 respectively
so, to get the highest product assign higher digits to hundreds and tens place..
_ _ _* _ _
5_ _ * 4 _
52 _ * 43
521 * 43 = 22403

52*431=22412>22403, so may be 52*431 is the answer.
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sumitkrocks
I would like to share the approach that might work.

As we know the contribution of hundred, tens and units digits are in the proportion of 100, 10 , 1 respectively
so, to get the highest product assign higher digits to hundreds and tens place..
_ _ _* _ _
5_ _ * 4 _
52 _ * 43
521 * 43 = 22403

52*431=22412>22403, so may be 52*431 is the answer.

Agreed, I see the flaw in my approach.
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IntellectualMan95
Using digits 1,2,3,4 and 5 form a 2-digit and 3-digit number say ab and cde such that ab x cde is maximum. What are the numbers?​

Hi

Never tested IQ, so can’t comment on IQ part, but my approach would be.

ab*cde
Surely a and c should take the biggest => 4 and 5
b and d should take next two => 2 and 3
e for sure will be 1.

Now to work on which value should go to which variable within the two.
ab=10a+b
cde =100c+10d+e
So \(ab*cde =(10a+b)(100c+10d+e)\)
\(1000ac+100ad+100bc+10ae+10bd+e\)
Now a is used more than c, and coefficient are
Coefficients of a are 1000, 100 and 10, while of c are 1000 and 100.
So it will be beneficial to take a>c => a=5, and c=4
Now when coefficient is 100, a is getting multiplied with d, so d should be greater than b=> d=3, and b=2

ab*cde=52*431=22412 should be maximum.

There may be some other method but this is what came to my mind the first.
Thank you chetan2u for explaining it nicely..!!
My approach was similar but which digit should be what confused a little. It was whether 40-something to be multiplied with 500-something or 50-something to be multiplied with 400-something to get the highest value(for a moment former looked bigger). Then what should have been the units place for 2-digit number and what should be at the tens place to maximize ab*cde.

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