How many digits?
How many digits are there in this product?
Problem
How many digits are there in this product:
$38 ~659 ~893 ~456 ~789 ~325 ~678 \times 342 ~973 ~489 ~379 ~256?$
Student Solutions
Answer: 35
Using estimation
$38 ~659 ...\approx 4\times10^{19}$ ($=4000...0$ (19 zeroes))
$342 ~973 ... \approx 3\times10^{14}$ ($=300...0$ (14 zeroes))
$4\times10^{19}\times 3\times10^{14}=12\times10^{33}$, which has 33 zeroes so 35 digits.
But the first number was rounded up, the second number was rounded down. We need to round both up or both down.
$342 ... \approx 4\times10^{14}$ (rounded up)
$4\times10^{19}\times 4\times10^{14}=16\times10^{33}$ which also has 35 digits.
$38 ...\approx 3.8\times10^{19}$ (rounded down)
$3.8\times10^{19}\times 3\times10^{14}=11.4\times10^{33}$ which also has 35 digits.
Comparing to an easier product
$38 ~659 ...=3.865...\times10^{19}$
$342 ~973 ... =3.429...\times10^{14}$
Product $=3.865...\times10^{19}\times 3.429...\times10^{14}$ has 34 digits if $3.865...\times 3.429...\lt10$, and 35 digits if it is $\gt10$
$3.333...\times3=10$ and $3.333...\lt3.8...$, $3\lt3.4...$ so $3.865...\times 3.429...\gt10$