Question 1168633: The product of two numbers is 88. One number is less than the other. What are the numbers? Found 2 solutions by josgarithmetic, ikleyn:Answer by josgarithmetic(39617) (Show Source):
Look! prime factors for 88 is shown. You have a few choices for a PAIR of factors which will give 88. This product 88 is NOT a square, so obviously any pair of whole number factors of 88 will be unequal; one factor is less than the other.
LOOK CAREFULLY! You have a product of 88.
What are all the ways you can make a PAIR of whole number factors which give 88 as the product? LIST THEM ALL!
1 & 88;
2 & 44;
4 & 11;
8 & 11.
That is all. No others. You could choose both factors as negative numbers, but that is probably not what is of interest. So there is the list of pairs of factors for 88. Count them. There are four of them.
Now look again. Do you see that in EACH pair, one number is less than the other?
You can put this solution on YOUR website! .
The product of two numbers is 88. One number is less than the other. What are the numbers?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The problem does not say that the numbers are integer.
The problem does not say how much the larger number is greater than the smaller number.
Under this circumstances, the problem has INFINITELY MANY solutions.
There is no a unique answer.
In my opinion, the condition of the problem is DEFECTIVE.
EITHER the problem is a FAKE, - - OR - - you missed some vitally important part of the problem in your post.
(