Concept 6 of 6
Build the Biggest & Smallest
Today's big idea
Biggest digit in the front room makes the biggest number.
Sort the digits high-to-low for the biggest, low-to-high for the smallest.
How it works
👀 What's going on?
You are handed the digits 5, 2 and 8. What is the biggest number you can build?
💡 Here's the trick
For the biggest number, put the biggest digit in the front room. For the smallest, put the smallest digit first.
With 5, 2 and 8 the biggest is 852 and the smallest is 258.
✍️ Try it
Build the biggest number from 3, 7 and 1. Biggest digit first: 731.
⚠️ Watch out
For the smallest number, a 0 cannot go in front, or it stops being a 3-digit number.
Watch me solve one
Quanta solves it
“Watch how I think through one of these — then you try.”
THE PROBLEM
“Build the smallest number from 6, 3 and 9.”
- 1
For the smallest, small digit first
Sort the digits from low to high.
- 2
Sort them
3 → 6 → 9
- 3
Answer ✓
369
Now you try one — same steps, different story 👇
See it in action
⚡ Time to play!
🔐 Crack the vault! Drag the digit tiles into the slots to build the biggest 3-digit number.
Quick check
✅ VERIFICATION
What is the SMALLEST number you can make with 4, 0 and 6?
⚡ Finish the activity above first to answer.
Keep going!