document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1186445>Question 1186445</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Which one of these numbers is equal to the product of the other four numbers?<BR>\n" );
document.write( "A -2 B 3/4 C 1/6 D -1/4 E 9  </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #817386 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><B>greenestamps(13200)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=greenestamps><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=817386\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "The response from one tutor shows the answer without saying anything about how to find the answer; presumably they just used trial and error.  Trial and error is sometimes useful in mathematics; but showing a solution obtained by trial and error doesn't teach the student anything.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "The other tutor, apparently thinking trial and error is the only method for solving the problem, simply says this is not a math problem.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "But there is, in fact, a simple formal mathematical method for solving the problem.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "If one of the five numbers is the product of the other four, then the product of all five of them is the square of that one number.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "(-2)(3/4)(1/6)(-1/4)(9) = 9/16 = (3/4)^2<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "ANSWER: 3/4 is the product of the other four numbers.<br><BR>\n" );
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