$4.4 \times 5.8 \times 11.5 - 141.27 = $x$

Concept & Strategy When multiplying multiple decimals, group terms strategically to create easier intermediate numbers. Look for pairings that result in whole numbers or drop trailing decimals (like multiplying an even number by a number ending in $.5$). Step-by-Step Solution * Group the first and third terms to make the multiplication easier: $$4.4 \times 11.5$$ * Break $4.4$ into $(4 + 0.4)$: $4 \times 11.5 = 46$ $0.4 \times 11.5 = 4.6$ Sum $= 46 + 4.6 = 50.6$ * Now multiply this result by the remaining term ($5.8$): $$50.6 \times 5.8$$ Treat as integers: $506 \times 58 = 29348$. Restore two decimal places: $293.48$. * Finally, subtract the given value from this product: $$293.48 - 141.27$$ $$152.21$$ Exam Strategy & Shortcut Use aggressive approximation to find the correct range instantly. Round the terms: $4.5 \times 6 \times 11 = 297$. Subtract the final term: $297 - 141 = 156$. The actual answer must be close to $156$. Option (c) is $152.21$, which is the only option in this immediate neighborhood. To confirm without full calculation, check the last digit: Product unit digit: $4 \times 8 \times 5 = 160$ (ends in 0, but wait, the decimal shifts). $50.6 \times 5.8 \rightarrow 6 \times 8 = 48$. The product ends in $.x8$. Subtraction: $x.x8 - x.x7 = x.x1$. Options (b) and (c) end in 1, but our approximation ($156$) heavily favors (c). Common Pitfall Multiplying strictly left-to-right ($4.4 \times 5.8 = 25.52$, then $25.52 \times 11.5$) creates unnecessarily large and complex intermediate decimal multiplication, wasting time and increasing the risk of arithmetic mistakes. Final Answer **Therefore, the correct answer is 152.21.**