Question

The sum of three consecutive odd numbers equal 255. What are those three number?

Answer 1

The numbers are
`83,85,87`

Explanation:

The three consecutive odd numbers can be denoted as :

`color(green)(x, x+2` and `color(green)( x+4`

Adding the three numbers:

`x + x+2 + x+4 = 255`

`3x+6 = 255`

`3x = 255-6`

`3x = 249`

`x = 249/3`

`color(blue)(x = 83`

The numbers are

`x= 83`

`x+2 = 85` , and

`x+4 = 87`

Answer 2

Since the numbers are consecutive odd numbers, the relationship between the smallest number represented by x and the largest number would be x+ 4, since odd numbers each have a distance of 2 on the number line.

Explanation:

Assuming x represents the smallest number, x + 2 represents the middle number and x + 4 represents the largest number.

(x) + (x + 2) + (x + 4) = 255

3x + 6 = 255

3x = 249

x = `249/3`

x = 83.

The smallest number is 83. Therefore the numbers are 83, 85 and 87.

Practice exercises:

1. The sum of four consecutive even numbers is 516. Find the 4 numbers.

Hopefully you understand