Stage: 3 Challenge Level: 
Can you arrange the digits $1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9$ into three $3$ - digit numbers such that their total is close to $1500$?
You might like to think about how many different ways there are of getting as close as you can to $1500$.
Properties of numbers. Addition & subtraction. Working systematically. Multiplication & division. Integers. Factors and multiples. Trial and improvement. Number bases. Mathematical reasoning & proof. Place value.
Published October 1997.
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