ShmoopTube

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Here’s your shmoop du jour, brought to you by Positive Integers.

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The integers that aren’t always griping about Mondays.

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If a, b, and c are positive integers, and a is greater than b, which is greater than c…

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…which ratio must be the smallest… of the answer choices provided?

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And here are the potential answers…

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This problem can be solved in a number of ways,

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but the easiest way is probably by elimination from the answer choices given.

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Since we know that a is greater than b and b is greater than c,

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we know that answer choices (A), (B), and (C) would all be larger than 1…

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…since the larger numbers would all be on top of smaller numbers.

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Option (D), on the other hand, is smaller than 1…

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…so it's the smallest possible ratio… and the correct answer.

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Our answer's D.

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