Answer :
Max is simply incorrect because he's stated his inequality in the opposite fashion that he should have:
36,594 is greater than 5,980
because the 3 in 36,594 represents the ten thousands place and the 5 in 5,980 represents the thousands place (which is a power of 10 less than the ten thousands place)
36,594 is greater than 5,980
because the 3 in 36,594 represents the ten thousands place and the 5 in 5,980 represents the thousands place (which is a power of 10 less than the ten thousands place)