The sum of 3 consecutive odd integers is 57, what is the smallest integer?

1 Answer
Feb 24, 2016

First, we can call the smallest of the odd integers #x#

Then, we find the next odd integer

Well, odd integers come every other number, so let's say we start from 1. We must add 2 more to 1 to get to the consecutive odd integer

So the middle of our consecutive odd integers can be expressed as #x + 2#

We can apply the same method for the last odd integer, it is 4 more than the first odd integer, so it can be seen as #x + 4#

We are finding the sum to be 57, so we create the equation

#x + x + 2 + x + 4 = 57#

Combine like terms: #3x + 6 = 57#

Subtract: # 3x = 51#

Divide: #x = 17#

So, our integers are #17, 19, 21#

Check them really quickly, and they work!

The question asks for the smallest of the integers, which would be 17