When metal M3 is reacted with a salt of metal M4 then it displaces metal M4 from its salt solution and salt of metal M3 is formed. But when metal M4 is reacted with a salt of metal M3, no reaction takes place. Hence, metal M3 is more reactive than metal M4, because it displaced metal M4 from its salt solution but metal M4 could not displace metal M3 from its salt solution.